Court hands over life imprisonment to Hanif Abbasi in ephedrine case
The verdict was reserved today.
RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) - An anti-narcotics court on Saturday has handed life imprisonment to Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz’s (PML-N) leader Hanif Abbasi in ephedrine quota case.
The verdict was reserved today.
During case’s proceedings, Abbasi provided legal use of as much as 363KG ephedrine whereas he failed in submitting the evidence pertaining to legal usage of 137KG ephedrine case in the court.
Read also: Court reserves verdict in ephedrine case against Hanif Abbasi
On the other hand, seven other accused in ephedrine case have been acquitted by the court.
Abbasi disqualified from contesting elections
In the light of court’s verdict, Hanif Abbasi has been barred from contesting elections. Abbasi had filed nomination papers from Rawalpindi’s NA-60 constituency to contest General Elections 2018. Police have arrested Hanif Abbasi following much-delayed court’s verdict.
Read also: LHC disposes of Hanif Abbasi s review petition
Sheikh Rashid’s response
Abbasi’s main political rival and Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid—while responding to the verdict—stated that ephedrine case has reached to its logical end.
Hanif Abbasi also going to Adyala Jail: Imran Khan
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan said that Hanif Abbasi was also going to Central Jail Rawalpindi also known as Adyala Jail.
Khan went on to say that Abbasi was caught red handed seven years ago while selling drugs.
History of ephedrine case
Hanif Abbasi was accused of selling as much as 500kg of controlled chemical ephedrine to the narcotics smugglers. All requests of Hanif Abbasi aimed at delaying the ephedrine case by ten days was rejected by the courts.
The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) had registered the case against Abbasi and his accomplices back then in June 2012 under various sections of the Control of Narcotics Substances (CNS) Act.
The anti-narcotics court had indicted Hanif Abbasi and the other accused back then in 2014.
Earlier today, the court had reserved the verdict in ephedrine quota case against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hanif Abbasi.
The defence lawyer was directed to complete his arguments till afternoon. However, the decision will be announced shortly.
Previously, the Supreme Court (SC) had turned down Abbasi’s plea against LHC order to hold ephedrine case hearings on daily basis.
Lawyer Kamran Murtaza told that LHC had announced verdict on an irrelevant plea and that his client has never asked for delay in the case.
It is to be mentioned here that the LHC had ordered to complete the hearing until July 21, only five days before the elections.
Hanif Abbasi, who is participating in the upcoming election from NA-60 opposite to Sheikh Rasheed, has been alleged of misusing 500kg of the controlled chemical ephedrine which he got for his company in 2010.
The PML-N leader and the other accused including his brother were indicted in 2014.
