ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday summoned the interior secretary, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director general and the director general of Immigration and Passports for failing to comply with court orders to remove citizens’ names from the Passport Control List (PCL).
Justice Azam Khan heard contempt petitions concerning the authorities’ failure to implement judicial directives despite previous orders to remove the petitioners’ names from the list.
In September, the court had directed Director General Immigration and Passports Muhammad Ali Randhawa to ensure compliance by the next hearing.
During Monday’s proceedings, the court ordered Interior Secretary Ahmed Raza Sarwar, FIA Director General Usman Anwar and Randhawa to appear in person.
A deputy director of Immigration and Passports informed the court that the matter was pending before a review committee. Justice Azam Khan questioned why the court’s order had not been implemented and whether referring the matter to a committee justified the delay.
Officials maintained that the committee was part of the established procedure for reviewing such cases.
The judge also questioned the mechanism for implementing court orders and warned the assistant attorney general that further non-compliance could lead to consequences if another contempt petition was filed.
The court reiterated that the matter could not be dealt with in the manner described and directed that the director general be summoned.
The case concerns petitioner Wajahat Hussain, whose name the court had ordered removed from the PCL.