ISLAMABAD (Staff Report) – Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday issued stay order against a verdict of Sindh High Court which directed Interior Ministry to remove Ayyan Ali’s name from Exit Control List (ECL).
The Customs authorities had moved Supreme Court against SHC decision. At which a SC bench placed all concerned parties on notice, while issuing a stay order.
Arguing before the apex court, Customs officials said if Ayyan Ali was allowed to leave the country, she may not return to face legal proceedings still pending against her.
Ayyan was arrested by the Customs officials from Benazir Bhutto International Airport, Islamabad, in March on charges of smuggling US $500,000 abroad. Afterwards she remained held at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail till Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered her release.
Later on, the Customs Court also returned her passport but refused to remove her name from Exit Control List (ECL). The model moved Sindh High Court (SHC) against Customs Court’s decision.
On March 7, the Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered federal interior ministry to remove the name of model Ayyan Ali from Exit Control List (ECL).
Accepting a plea filed by Ayyan Ali against the decision of Rawalpindi Customs Court, in which the judge had rejected model’s request to remove her name from ECL, the SHC said that Ayyan Ali’s name should be removed from list immediately.
However the court also accepted a request of Customs official in which they preyed to the court to give fourteen days to implement the order -which Ayyan Ali’s name was to be struck off ECL till March 21.
