Islamabad: Pakistan's defense ministry has opposed efforts by former ISI Chief's Lt Gen Asad Durrani's endeavor to get his name removed from a no-fly list. It has claimed that Durrani had been interacting with India's external intelligence agency RAW since 2008, according to a media report on Wednesday.
According to Dawn, Durrani's name was placed on the Exit Control List (ECL) for co-authoring a book, 'The Spy Chronicles: RAW, ISI and the Illusion of Peace', with former chief of the Indian spy agency Amarjit Singh Dulat after Pakistan's Military Intelligence (MI) wrote to the interior ministry in this regard in 2018.
On May 28, 2018, the military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) informed the general public through its Twitter account: "Lt Gen Asad Durrani, Retired was called at GHQ today to explain his position on the recently launched book 'Spy Chronicles'. A formal Court of Inquiry headed by a serving Lt Gen has been ordered to probe the matter in detail. Competent authority approached to place his name on ECL."
"A court of inquiry under the provision of Pakistan Army Act Rule 157 was convened to ascertain facts about the contents of the book and the circumstances under which the book was co-authored. Consequently, petitioner's name was placed on the ECL vide memorandum dated May 29, 2018," the Ministry of Defence stated in its report filed before the court.
The ministry added that the 'competent military authority' has taken cognizance of the contents of the book after thorough deliberation and on the recommendation of the inquiry, according to Dawn.
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