IHC Bars Unlawful Offloading of Citizens from Flights

News Desk
ISLAMABAD: In a major legal development, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday ruled against the arbitrary offloading of citizens from international flights without fulfilling mandatory legal requirements.
The landmark verdict aims to protect fundamental civil liberties and curb the unchecked exercise of administrative authority by state institutions at airports.
Delivering its judgment, the high court specifically struck down the provision allowing authorities to place individuals on the Passenger Control List (PCL) solely on the recommendations of government departments.
The court emphasized that restricting a citizen’s right to travel without due process, transparent inquiries, and solid legal justification violates constitutional guarantees.
Legal experts and human rights advocates have widely hailed the decision as a critical safeguard against bureaucratic overreach. For years, numerous travelers have faced sudden travel bans and humiliation at departure terminals due to flawed inter-departmental blacklists, severely infringing upon their freedom of movement and professional obligations.
Following this ruling, relevant federal ministries and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) are expected to review their standard operating procedures regarding exit controls.
Authorities must now align their regulations with the court’s strict directives to ensure transparency and accountability in all future travel restriction cases.