Pakistan's Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered authorities to immediately remove YouTuber Rajab Butt from the country's Passport Control List (PCL), ruling that continued travel restrictions were unjustified. Justice Muhammad Azam Khan delivered the judgment on April 28, allowing Butt's constitutional petition after investigators raised no objection to lifting the ban.
Why was Rajab Butt placed on the Passport Control List?
Butt was added to the PCL on August 12, 2025, following a recommendation from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) under inquiry No. 3494/2025. Authorities imposed the restriction after he failed to appear before investigators. The travel ban remained in place until he joined the ongoing cybercrime investigation.
What did the IHC rule in the Rajab Butt PCL case?
Justice Khan ruled that keeping Butt's name on the list lacked legal and rational basis once the NCCIA had cleared his removal. The court was informed that the agency itself had no objection to lifting the restriction. Deputy Attorney General Raja Muhammad Saeed presented a letter from an NCCIA sub-inspector in Lahore confirming there was no objection because Butt had joined the inquiry.
The judge found that continuing the restriction after Butt had cooperated with investigators was "neither warranted by law nor supported by any rational basis." He described the ongoing travel ban as an "unreasonable and disproportionate interference" with Butt's constitutional right to freedom of movement under Article 15. The court directed authorities to remove his name from the PCL immediately unless a separate, independent legal restriction applied.
What are the blasphemy allegations against Rajab Butt?
Butt has faced scrutiny since last year over blasphemy-related allegations linked to his launch of a perfume branded "295," a reference to Section 295 of Pakistan's blasphemy law. Critics accused him of mocking the law. Police subsequently registered a case against him under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act and Section 295-A of the Pakistan Penal Code, which criminalizes insulting religious beliefs.
The case was filed by Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan leader Haider Ali Shah Gillani. If convicted, Butt could face up to 10 years in prison.
What did Rajab Butt say in his apology?
In March 2025, Butt released an apology video from Masjid-e-Haram in Makkah while performing Umrah. He said he had not acted intentionally and urged people to "cleanse your hearts" toward him. He claimed a word had been edited out of the controversial video, announced the perfume would be discontinued, and appealed to religious scholars, the Punjab government, and the Pakistan Army to reconsider the charges.
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