Pakistan’s well-known journalist and Youtuber, Imran Riaz Khan, approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday, pleading for his name to be removed from the Exit Control List (ECL) and Passport Control List (PCL), claiming that it was added arbitrarily and carelessly “relying upon presumptive considerations.”.
The anchorperson claimed in a petition submitted through attorney Azhar Siddique that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) detained him at the Lahore airport as he boarded a flight to the UAE after being booked for making “provocative a speech.”.
The petition also stated that the magisterial court later dismissed the petitioner’s charges and ordered him to be released immediately by the authorities.
According to information obtained by the petitioner from various sources, his name was added to the ECL and PCL without proper consideration, which is against the law. Attorney Siddique pleaded with the court to consider this.
The petitioner’s fundamental rights, as guaranteed by Article 15 read with Articles 4, 9, 10-A, 14, and 25 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973, are being violated by listing his name on the ECL/PCL. “.
Accordingly, the petitioner’s fundamental rights to life, liberty, and the freedom to move about have been violated, according to the petition.
Additionally, it stated that the petitioner’s name was added to the no-fly list without receiving a hearing notice.
“Every citizen has a right to freedom of speech and expression, and there shall be freedom of the press,” the petition continued. “However, certain reasonable restrictions may be imposed by law in the interest of the glory of Islam or the integrity, security, or defense of Pakistan,” it added.
, pleading for his name to be removed from the Exit Control List (ECL) and Passport Control List (PCL).){kind=link}