ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Monday heard a petition filed by senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Azam Swati challenging the inclusion of his name in the passport control list.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Sahibzada Asadullah and Justice Dr. Khurshid Iqbal presided over the hearing. During the proceedings, the court issued notices to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and other relevant parties, seeking their response to the petition. Azam Swati’s lawyer, Barrister Waqar, informed the court that his client was stopped from boarding a flight at Islamabad Airport just a day earlier. “Despite voluntarily appearing before courts in all ongoing cases against him, Mr. Swati’s name was added to the passport control list without justification,” he argued.
The counsel emphasised that Swati has been cooperating with the legal process and has not evaded any court hearings. “He has not fled, nor does he intend to. He is prepared to give any assurance the court requires,” the lawyer told the bench. Swati, a Senate candidate in the upcoming Khyber Pakhtunkhwa elections scheduled for July 21, has expressed urgency in resolving the matter. According to his legal team, he intends to return to Pakistan before the election date and is leaving behind all personal assets. The petitioner’s counsel requested the court to remove Swati’s name from the passport control list, asserting that his fundamental rights are being infringed and that the move is politically motivated.
After hearing initial arguments, the court issued formal notices to the NAB, FIA, and other concerned institutions, directing them to submit a detailed reply. The case has been adjourned for a later date.
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