The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday called for responses from the Ministry of Interior, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and the Director General of Immigration and Passports regarding a petition filed by former special assistant to the prime minister, Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind. The petition seeks the removal of his name from the Exit Control List (ECL).
Justice Inam Amin Minhas presided over the hearing. During the session, Rind’s counsel informed the court that on May 13, while attempting to travel abroad from Islamabad International Airport, Rind was stopped by immigration officials. They notified him that his name had been placed on the ECL, barring him from leaving the country. Consequently, he was denied permission to travel.
The petitioner’s lawyer urged the court to direct the relevant authorities to remove Rind’s name from the travel ban list. After hearing initial arguments, Justice Minhas issued notices to the Ministry of Interior, FIA, and the Director General of Immigration and Passports, instructing them to submit formal replies. The court then adjourned the hearing to a later date.
In a significant development, Rind’s political and tribal background provides context to the petition. His career has been marked by numerous court cases, tribal conflicts, and election-related legal challenges. Notably, in 2011, an anti-terrorism court in Quetta sentenced him, his son, and four others to life imprisonment in a kidnapping case from 2009. The sentence was issued in absentia after he failed to appear before the court.
The case resurfaced in 2012 when Rind surrendered before the Supreme Court in Islamabad and was arrested on court premises after his attempt to overturn the sentence was unsuccessful. He has consistently claimed that these cases are politically motivated and stem from longstanding tribal and political rivalries in Balochistan.
His legal issues have also impacted his electoral prospects. Prior to the 2018 general elections, an appellate tribunal and subsequently the Balochistan High Court disqualified him from contesting, citing pending criminal cases and doubts about his credentials. However, the Supreme Court later suspended the disqualification, allowing him to participate in the elections.
Rind has also faced legal proceedings related to allegations concerning an attack on former Balochistan chief minister Aslam Raisani. This incident is part of the broader tribal hostility between the Rind and Raisani clans, a rivalry that has heavily influenced local politics and frequently resulted in legal and political disputes.
Despite these challenges, Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind remains a prominent tribal and political leader from Balochistan. Hailing from Kachhi district, he has been active in politics since the mid-1980s, serving as a senator, member of the National Assembly, and member of the Balochistan Assembly.
He held the federal portfolio for food, agriculture, and livestock during the PML-Q government and later emerged as a significant figure in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in Balochistan, leading its provincial chapter. Under the PTI government, he was appointed special assistant to the prime minister on water resources, power, and petroleum issues in Balochistan. Additionally, he served as the provincial education minister and was a member of the Balochistan Assembly until its dissolution in 2023.
