Pakistani activist's name removed from ECL
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Islamabad: A Pakistani court has removed the name of human rights activist Gulalai Ismail from the Exit Control List (ECL), the media reported on Thursday.
Justice Aamer Farooq of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had on January 10 reserved the verdict on a petition filed by Ismail challenging the government's decision to put her name on the ECL, Dawn news reported.
The court, however, allowed the Interior Ministry to take appropriate action, including confiscation of her passport, in the light of recommendations made by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
In November 2018, the IHC was informed that the ISI had recommended putting Ismail's name on the ECL for her alleged anti-state activities abroad.
In her petition, Ismail had sought return of her passport and travel documents which the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had confiscated upon her landing in Pakistan on October 12. She was later detained briefly at the FIA's office in Islamabad.
Ismail is the chairperson of a non-governmental organisation, Aware Girls. She has won national and international acclaim for her work to empower women.
She requested the court to order removal of her name from the ECL and direct the FIA to return her passport.