PESHAWAR; The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday accepted a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former senator Azam Swati, seeking the removal of his name from the Exit Control List (ECL) and Passport Control List (PCL), thereby allowing him to travel abroad.
The case was heard by a two-member bench comprising Justice Syed Irshad Ali and Justice Dr Khurshid Iqbal. Swati’s counsel, Ali Azeem Afridi, informed the court that his client was scheduled to travel overseas at 9 a.m. on August 13, but was barred from doing so due to his name being listed in both travel restriction databases.
He further contended that despite an earlier court directive to remove Swati’s name from the lists, authorities at the airport still prevented him from boarding his flight.
During the proceedings, Assistant Attorney General (AAG) argued that Swati’s name was no longer on any such list, and that there was no legal bar to his departure. A representative from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) also assured the bench that the PTI leader was now free to travel abroad.
The court, satisfied with the government’s assurances, disposed of the petition.
Azam Swati, a veteran PTI politician and former federal minister, has faced multiple legal challenges since the political unrest following May 9, 2023.
His name was earlier placed on the ECL and PCL amid ongoing investigations and political tensions. Restrictions on high-profile political figures’ travel have been a recurring feature in Pakistan’s recent political climate, often sparking criticism from opposition parties over alleged misuse of such measures for political victimisation.
