Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan's close aide Syed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari on Thursday moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against his name being placed on blacklist. Bukhari moved the IHC hours after returning to the country. Justice Aamer Farooq of the IHC issued notices to respondents after hearing the petition.
Zulfikar Bukhari, a close associate of Khan, was going to Saudi Arabia along with Imran Khan on June 11 when he was barred from leaving the country at the Nur Khan Airbase. Bukhari was later granted six-day permission to perform Umrah by the Interior Ministry.
In his petition, Bukhari sought that his name be removed from the blacklist. The court accepted the plea for hearing and sought replies from the Ministry of Interior and Director General Passports and Immigration. Bukhari returned to Pakistan on late Wednesday evening after performing Umrah. Imran Khan and his wife also returned to the country. However, Imran faced criticism after Bukhari was reportedly allowed to depart to Saudi Arabia despite his name was placed on blacklist.
Bukhari faces several inquiries before the National Accountability Bureau for owning offshore companies and having assets beyond his known sources of income, but has dodged summons and has never appeared before the NAB. Bukhari said he only received the notices after his father forwarded them to him in London. Since he is an ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, he said, he had not violated any law. He also claimed to be incognizant of anything pertaining to the Panama Papers.
Caretaker Prime Minister former Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk has sought a report from the Ministry of Interior on how Bukhari managed to travel despite being on the no-fly list.
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