The Islamabad High Court has granted significant legal relief to controversial Pakistani YouTuber Rajab Butt by ordering the immediate removal of his name from the Passport Control List (PCL).
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Justice Azam Khan issued a detailed six-page written verdict, stating that retaining Rajab Butt’s name on the PCL was “illegal, unnecessary, and in violation of fundamental rights.” The ruling emphasized that such restrictions must be justified with clear legal grounds, which were not present in this case.
During the hearing, Rajab Butt was represented by Barrister Zahid Khokhar, who argued for the removal of his client’s name from the list. The court was informed that the name had initially been placed on the PCL at the request of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).
However, the Deputy Attorney General told the court that NCCIA authorities no longer objected to removing Rajab Butt’s name from the list. The court noted in its decision that since the YouTuber had already appeared before the relevant authorities, there was no longer any legal justification to keep his name on the PCL.
Accepting the petition, the court directed concerned authorities to immediately delete Rajab Butt’s name from the Passport Control List, marking a notable development in the case.
