In a contempt petition, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) summons Passport DG in person over an alleged failure to remove a citizen's name from the Exit Control List (ECL), despite a clear court order. Justice Muhammad Asif, who is hearing the petition, has also told the other respondents to appear and explain why the order was not carried out. The proceedings have been adjourned until October 21.
What the court ordered
The petition was filed by a citizen, Hashim Mahmood. On September 4, 2026, the IHC allowed his writ petition and directed the respondents to take his name off the ECL immediately. The Secretary Interior was also specifically directed to process Mahmood's pending application for passport renewal.
Mahmood later alleged that the order had not been implemented and filed the contempt petition. The ECL is a list that can stop named people from leaving Pakistan, so removal from it is the key step for a traveller. The court asked the respondents to explain why the order had not been carried out and why contempt proceedings should not be started against them.
The department's response
At an earlier hearing, the Assistant Director (Legal) of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) asked for time to submit a reply. The Assistant Attorney General, assisted by the Assistant Law Officer of the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports in Islamabad, later filed a report. It argued that the department had been unnecessarily made a party to the original writ petition.
The report said Mahmood's name appeared in the Integrated Border Management System (IBMS), a border database, under two headings: “Interpol Red Notice” and “Exit Control List (ECL)”. According to the report, these entries were based on actions taken by the Ministry of Interior and the FIA respectively. Justice Asif said the report dealt with the wrong issue, calling it “a disturbing lack of due diligence”.
The judge also noted that the report did not answer the court's direction on the passport renewal. He said no explanation had been given on whether that direction was complied with, or what was blocking it. In his view, officials cannot avoid a direct court order by pointing to a database entry or to another department.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- September 4, 2026: The IHC allows Hashim Mahmood's writ petition and orders his name removed from the ECL and his passport renewal processed.
- Date not given: At a previous hearing, the FIA's Assistant Director (Legal) seeks time to submit a reply.
- Date not given: The Assistant Attorney General files a report arguing the department was wrongly made a party to the writ.
- Latest order: Justice Asif summons the Passport DG in person, orders a compliance report, and adjourns the case until October 21.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Islamabad High Court ne Passport DG ko zaati taur par pesh hone ka hukm diya hai. Ek shehri ka naam Exit Control List se hatane ka hukm poora na hone par contempt case chal raha hai. Agli sunwai 21 October ko hogi. Jin logon ka naam ECL mein hai, un ke safar aur passport renewal ka mamla is case se aage barh sakta hai.
