Overview
- The Islamabad High Court on Saturday ordered immediate removal of petitioner Zain Ateeq from the Passport Control List after finding no lawful basis to keep his name on the list.
- The court said the record shows no conviction or pending criminal proceedings against Ateeq in Pakistan or Türkiye, undercutting any basis for a travel restriction.
- The Federal Investigation Agency told the court it had recommended removal after more than two years, but the Passport Authority had rejected that request on procedural non-prosecution grounds.
- Justice Muhammad Azam Khan cited the Shireen Mazari precedent and held that only a competent legal authority may place or retain a name on the PCL and that FIA recommendations cannot be ignored without solid reasons.
- The PCL is an administrative list used to bar overseas travel for security or immigration concerns, and the judgment may prompt reviews of other entries and tighter documentation by agencies though wider reform will depend on enforcement or further litigation.