Imran Khan, wife Bushra Bibi among 80 barred from leaving Pakistan: Report

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi, and at least 80 others have reportedly been put on the no-fly list by their government.

Khan, who was arrested on May 9 in a corruption case, is now facing other charges along with fellow top leaders of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in connection with the violence that broke out after his arrest.

“The federal government has decided to add the names of 80 people, including PTI Chairman Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi, to the no-fly list,” the Samaa News channel reported.

Also read: Govt mulling possible ban on Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party: Defence Minister

However, there was no official confirmation on the development from Khan’s party.

The other PTI leaders included in the no-fly list and barred from travelling abroad include Murad Saeed, Maleeka Bukhari, Fawad Chaudhry, Hammad Azhar, Qasim Suri, Asad Qaiser, Yasmin Rashid, and Mian Aslam, the channel said.

Fawad Chaudhry has already quit the party but his name has been listed among those who cannot fly out of Pakistan.

The channel reported that the police department, National Accountability Bureau, and the anti-corruption department had requested the Ministry of Interior to include these names in the no-fly list.

Also read: Imran Khan secures bail in eight cases from Pakistan anti-terrorism court

The Ministry of Interior maintains the no-fly list, and officials deployed at airports or other land exit routes are provided with the names of individuals who cannot go out.

Pakistan authorities ban different categories of people from leaving the country for various reasons, including corruption cases. But these lists have been used in the past by governments to muzzle the Opposition.

When Khan was the prime minister, names of several high-profile personalities, including PML-N leader and current prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, were put on the no-fly list.

(With agency inputs)