Former Pakistan PM and PTI chief Imran Khan added to no-fly list: Pak Media

Sources reported on Thursday that Imran Khan, the Chief of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and former Prime Minister of Pakistan, has been placed on the no-fly list, as per the information shared by Pakistan Media.

According to information obtained from sources and shared by The Pakistan Daily on Twitter, it has been reported that “IK (Imran Khan) added in No Fly List.”

Imran Khan’s inclusion in the no-fly list has not been officially confirmed, although The Pakistan Daily, a digital news portal in Pakistan known for its coverage of political developments, tweeted about the matter based on information from undisclosed sources.

It comes a day after Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated that the nation’s government is considering banning the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) over the May 9 occurrences, according to Dawn.

Interacting with Media in Islamabad, Khawaja Asif stated, “A decision has not been taken yet, but a review is surely underway.” Terming the attacks on Pakistani military installations on May 9 as “coordinated attacks” by PTI chief Imran Khan as reported by Dawn.

Previously, Dawn reported that the police department had handed the names of 245 PTI supporters, including three former provincial assembly members, to the federal government for inclusion on the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL) in order to prevent them from fleeing the country.

As per the sources, Rawalpindi district police have placed roughly 319 names on their wanted list and have forwarded the names of 245 PTI activists in the custody of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The remaining 74 people have yet to be apprehended.

Several PTI supporters arrested, others under radar of Pakistan law enforcement agencies

Lahore police attempted to include 746 PTI politicians on the no-fly list on Tuesday, with the objective of restricting their overseas travel for one month. The total number of PTI activists who may be placed on the list after the Rawalpindi police request is 991.

Citing a senior police official, Dawn reported that individuals listed in the police wanted list are subject to travel restrictions under the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL). According to the report, those included in the PNIL are barred from flying out of the country for a period of 30 days.

The names of 245 people held during and after the May 9 violence were finalized after police reviewed the circumstances of those arrested. These names were then forwarded to the FIA, who restricted their travel by air, land, or sea.

Police are still looking for ex-MPA Rashid Hafeez, the nephew of Sheikh Rasheed; Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, who was previously arrested and later freed; and Umar Tanveer Butt, according to Dawn.

Going by the information provided to the Federal government, the RA Bazar police have arrested 31 suspects in connection with the attack on GHQ, whilst 27 other wanted individuals are still at large.

Based on video clips, CCTV footage, intelligence reports, and geo-fencing data, the police put forth a proposal for temporary travel restrictions. The proposed restrictions specifically targeted PTI supporters who were identified as being involved in violent protests.

The police investigative team, led by City Police Officer (CPO) Syed Khalid Hamdani, has apprehended 104 suspects in connection with the GHQ attack case, and identification parades for 23 people have been completed, Dawn reported.

Police told to accelerate legal proceedings against PTI supporters involved in violence

Dawn reported that the police have received instructions to accelerate the legal proceedings against the individuals detained in relation to the violence that occurred on May 9. Additionally, the police have approached the Punjab Home Department to form a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to investigate the cases registered under section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) pertaining to terrorism-related charges.

Meanwhile, the officers added that two different teams of police have been constituted, each supervised by a Superintendent of Police, to detain PTI leaders and activists from Punjab and KP. According to Dawn, the Punjab and KP police are being called for aid in apprehending the persons wanted by the capital police in connection with the cases.

The officers reported receiving discouraging feedback from the KP police. They explained that the response indicated significant resistance might be encountered during house raids for arrests by the capital police. This resistance was attributed to the cultural norm in the area, where it is considered inappropriate for strangers to enter people’s homes.

In connection with the registered cases of violence in May 2022 and 2023, the capital police have made a request to the interior ministry. They have urged the ministry to include the names of PTI leaders, who are currently evading arrest, on both the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL) and the Exit Control List (ECL).