Court rejects Sheikh Rashid Ahmad's petition seeking permission to travel for Umrah

RAWALPINDI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Tuesday rejected former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad's petition seeking permission to travel for Umrah amidst the investigation into the May 9 GHQ attack case.

The decision was issued by Judge Amjad Ali Shah, who stated that Sheikh Rashid's name had been placed on the Exit Control List (ECL) following federal government instructions.

The prosecution informed the court that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had added the names of all suspects in the May 9 case to the ECL in line with instructions of the government.

Sheikh Rashid's lawyer argued that the decision to place his name on the ECL was an act of contempt, as the Lahore High Court (LHC) had previously granted permission for him to travel for Umrah.

The lawyer further pointed out that the high court had ruled that names should not be added to the ECL based solely on pending cases, citing previous rulings involving high-profile figures.

In a brief statement to the media, Sheikh Rashid expressed surprise at the move, stating that his name had already been removed from the ECL before.

He confirmed plans to challenge the decision in the high court and seek permission to perform Umrah.