IHC issues contempt notice to Immigration DG, NAB director in travel ban case

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued a contempt of court notice to the Immigration and Passports director general (DG) and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) director for failing to comply with judicial orders.

The notice was issued on Wednesday in a case related to the removal of the former Malir Development Authority DG from the travel restrictions list.

During the hearing, Justice Babar Sattar directed both officials to submit responses explaining why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them and why penalties should not be imposed. The officials requested additional time to file their replies. The court also issued notices to the attorney general and advocate general for assistance in the case and appointed Advocate Abdul Rahim Bhatti and Shoaib Shaheen as judicial assistants. Justice Sattar remarked that despite repeated court rulings against NAB’s recommendations for imposing travel bans, the state continues to act as it always has, adding that penalties from courts now seem to come with medals.

Notably, Justice Babar Sattar had previously sentenced Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon for contempt of court. Although his sentence was suspended last year through an intra-court appeal, it has not been overturned. Recently, on March 23, Memon was awarded the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz.