The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday summoned the interior secretary, the director general of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the director general of Immigration and Passports after authorities failed to carry out court orders to take citizens’ names off the Passport Control List (PCL).
A single-member bench led by Justice Azam Khan heard contempt of court petitions filed after officials did not remove the petitioners’ names from the list, despite earlier judicial directions. One of the cases concerns petitioner Wajahat Hussain, whose name the court had ordered removed.
Judge rejects committee review as explanation
In September, the court had instructed Director General Immigration and Passports Muhammad Ali Randhawa to implement its orders on removals before the next hearing date. During Monday’s proceedings, a deputy director of Immigration and Passports told the bench that the matter was still pending before a review committee.
Also read: FIA arrests proclaimed offender over fake Pakistani passport case
Justice Azam Khan questioned that explanation, asking how the court should respond when an order goes unimplemented simply because a committee is examining the matter. Immigration and Passports officials told the court that the committee was part of the standard procedure for reviewing such cases.
Court warns of consequences for further non-compliance
The judge also asked what mechanism was in place once a court issued an order. He warned the assistant attorney general that the authorities would face consequences if another contempt petition was filed over non-compliance.
The court then directed that the director general be called to appear, stating that the matter could not be handled in this manner. Interior Secretary Ahmed Raza Sarwar, FIA Director General Usman Anwar and Randhawa were summoned to appear in person.
