IHC suspends FIA's order to add Shehzad Akbar, Shahbaz Gill on no-fly list

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended on Tuesday the Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) order of placing the names of Shahzad Akbar, Shahbaz Gill and four other former PTI government members on the no-fly list, Aaj News reported.

Akbar served as accountability advisor to former prime minister Imran Khan, while Gill was the special assistant on political communication. Earlier, it was reported that Akbar and Gill, along with Arsalan Khalid, Azam Khan, Gohar Nafees and Mohammad Rizwan were put on the 'stop list'.

Following this, Akbar approached the IHC, seeking the removal of his name. In his petition, Akbar said that his name was placed on the list just after voting on the no-confidence motion against former PM Imran Khan in the National Assembly. He pleaded with the high court to declare the FIA's act void and unconstitutional.

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During a hearing on Tuesday, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah took up his petition, saying that the court had already declared the black list illegal. Justice Minallah said the high court had already issued a judgment that no name can be placed on this list.

The IHC, suspending the FIA's order, has sought a response from the interior secretary and the FIA chief. The hearing has been adjourned till Wednesday.

Following the verdict, Akbar took to Twitter, saying that the IHC has asked the FIA chief and the interior secretary why the names were placed on the list after voting on the no-trust move against Khan and on whose instruction these names were added since there was no government in place at the time.