PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Wednesday approved a request for the early hearing of a petition filed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister Meena Khan Afridi challenging the blocking of his passport and fixed the case for hearing on July 20.
The application for an expedited hearing was heard by a bench headed by Justice Ijaz Khan Sabi. Advocate Bashir Khan Wazir appeared on behalf of the provincial minister.During the proceedings, the petitioner’s counsel informed the court that his client intended to travel abroad on official assignments but had been unable to do so because the federal authorities had allegedly blocked his passport and placed his name on the blacklist.
The counsel pleaded that the matter had already been brought before the court, which had earlier directed the relevant authorities to allow the petitioner to travel abroad. However, despite the court’s orders, the minister was reportedly stopped at the airport by the concerned authorities.
He argued that responses from the relevant departments had already been submitted and were sufficient for the court to decide the matter. The counsel pointed out that the main petition had been scheduled for hearing in September and requested that it be taken up earlier due to its urgency.
In its written order, the court noted that the petitioner, a provincial minister, had challenged the decision to blacklist his passport. The order further recorded the submission of the petitioner’s counsel that his client was required to attend official conferences and engagements abroad, making the restoration of his travel documents a matter of immediate importance.
Considering the urgency and significance of the case, the court directed that the petition be heard on July 20 instead of the previously scheduled date of September 9.
