Defence ministry opposes removal of Asad Durrani’s name from ECL

The Ministry of Defence on Wednesday opposed the removal of (retired) ISI DG Lieutenant General Asad Durrani’s name from the Exit Control List.

As per details, the ministry in its written response to a petition filed by former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief retired Lt Gen Asad Durrani at the Islamabad High Court said that it has evidence which suggests that the former service man remained in contact with Indian spy agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).

Furthermore, the ministry told the court that it has evidence which suggests Durrani has been in contact with anti-state elements from other countries since 2008.

The former ISI Chief has moved that high court to seek the removal of his name for the ECL stating that he wants to go abroad.

It is worth to mention here that, in 2018, the Military Intelligence had written a letter to the ministry of interior to put Durrani’s name on the ECL for co-authoring a book The Spy Chronicles with former Indian spy master Amarjit Singh Dulat.

Durrani was summoned to the Pakistan Army's General Headquarters (GHQ) in May 2018, where he was asked to explain his position on views attributed to him in the book.

The ISPR said in 2019 that Durrani has been found guilty of violating the military code of conduct after he co-authored the book.