ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday instructed the Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to refrain from harassing anyone and ordered the agency to immediately remove the names of PTI leaders from the stop list.
During the hearing of the petitions contesting the inclusion of PTI leaders Shahbaz Gill, Shahzad Akbar, and others on the stop list, the minister made the comment.
The names of key aides to former Prime Minister Imran Khan, including PM's former principal secretary Azam Khan, ex-special assistant to PM on political communication Shahbaz Gill, ex-adviser to PM on interior and accountability Shahzad Akbar, Punjab Director-General Gohar Nafees, and FIA's Punjab Zone DG Mohammad Rizwan, have been placed on the FIA's website.
The court heard from Gill, Akbar, the FIA's law director, and the joint interior secretary.
The legal director informed the court at the opening of the session that he had received a request from the FIA Islamabad zone on April 8, suggesting an unusual scenario in the country.
At this point, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah asked if the country had been placed under martial law.
Meanwhile, the FIA official claimed that two different investigations had been opened. The court enquired if the old FIA had been replaced, noting that the agency was a regular visitor to this court.
"This is a very dangerous situation. The court will never allow vengeance [former against government officials] to be used as a basis for action "CJ Minallah of the IHC made a comment.
Meanwhile, the petitioners' lawyer notified the court that the police had disobeyed Court orders and that Gill and Akbar's names were remained on the stop list.
The court chastised the FIA officer, asking when the agency will be able to conduct an investigation into government officials.
The FIA officer explained that the court's orders to remove the names from the stop list were received late because the officials had gone to do taraveeh prayers.
The officer promised the court, however, that the directives would now be obeyed.
During the hearing, Akbar asked the court to query the FIA about whether it had launched an investigation into the civil workers on the stop list.
He said, "Ask them whether they want us to go to Adiala [prison] on our own."
IHC CJ Minallah then asked Akbar if he wanted to go to jail.
They "may have to go to jail if the circumstances remained the same," Akbar stated in response to the question.
In response to this remark, Gill's lawyer stated that his client does not hold such a position.
The stay was extended by Justice Minallah, who also ordered the FIA to lift the flight ban and remove the names from the stop list. Meanwhile, FIA authorities requested an extension on the deadline for submitting a response.
The court ordered the FIA Director General and the Interior Secretary to produce a report on the case, and the hearing was postponed until April 18.
Ex-PM Imran Khan's aides had their flight restriction lifted by the IHC.
On Tuesday, the IHC halted the FIA's announcement of a flight ban for six PTI leaders.
The bans against former principal secretary Azam Khan, Imran's ex-focal person on digital media Dr Arslan Khalid, and Mohammad Nafees Gohar were also lifted by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minaullah.
The IHC sent a notification to the interior secretary and the director-general of the FIA, demanding that they divulge the authority that placed the petitioners' names on the'stop list,' which prevents them from travelling overseas without permission.
Justice Minallah further ordered that the FIA prove that this action was not motivated by retaliation against ex-PM Imran Khan's aides.
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