Customs court orders return of Ayyan Ali’s passport

The customs court on Wednesday accepting Ayyan Ali’s plea in currency smuggling case directed the Customs Department to return her passport.

However, the customs court rejected the acquittal plea submitted by Ayyan’s counsel Sardar Latif Khosa following the smuggling case.

The model had filed a plea saying she wants to continue with her modelling assignments overseas which she had earlier signed with various organisations. Besides, the petitioner has also produced two sureties with her bail bonds in the sum of Rs 500,000 each.

Earlier, the customs officials submitted report pertaining to return of Ayyan’s passport in the court and prayed not to handover her passport.

She has been the focus of media attention since March when authorities, working on a tip, nabbed her at the VIP lounge of Benazir Bhutto International Airport in Islamabad.

The court order further stated that “Ayyan will return her passport to the court whenever asked”.

Ayyan’s name has been placed on the Exit Control List, amid rumours that she will try to flee Pakistan after she was officially charged on November 19. However, the model was released four months after the detention.