KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday issued notices to the ministries of interior and defence, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and other respondents in a petition filed by a Baloch rights activist against authorities’ decision to bar her from travelling abroad.

Sammi Deen approached the SHC and submitted that she was a human rights activist and general secretary of the Voice of Baloch Missing Persons.

Besides the interior and defence ministries and director general of the FIA, the petitioner also cited the secretary of the ministry of aviation and director general-immigration and passports as respondents and argued that she was invited by the Frontline Defenders to visit Belgium as an opportunity to policymakers and also to network with other human rights defenders.

Representing Ms Deen, Advocate Mohammad Jibran Nasir argued that the petitioner had made plans to travel from Karachi to Brussels via Oman where the petitioner’s brother was residing.

However, he submitted that on Sept 8, the petitioner reached the immigration counter at the airport and completed formalities and, initially, she was allowed to exit the counter, but later offloaded as the immigration officials had restrained her from travelling without giving any reason.

The lawyer also stated that there was no official decision in the knowledge of the petitioner for placing her name on the exist control list (ECL).

He further contended that the jurisprudence and judicial precedent unanimously recognised the right to travel abroad as it was a fundamental right guaranteed under articles 4, 9, 14, 15 and 18 of the Constitution.

The petitioner pleaded to declare that the act of respondents and their agents/employees in wilfully restraining her from travelling abroad was illegal, unlawful and constitutional.

She also sought directive for the respondents not to stop her from leaving the country and travelling abroad.

After a preliminary hearing, a two-judge bench, comprising Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto and Justice Irshad Ali Shah, issued notices to the respondents as well as deputy attorney general for Sept 23.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has condemned the use of heavy-handed tactics to place Baloch rights activist on the ECL, thereby violating her freedom of movement and reportedly placing dozens of others in Balochistan on the fourth schedule, including members of civil society.

The state must urgently rethink this security-driven strategy and engage with Baloch civil society as a means of resolving the crisis in the province, it added.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2024