Karachi court acquits cocaine queen 'Pinky' in two drug cases

A district and sessions court in Karachi on Friday acquitted Anmol alias Pinky in two drug-related cases registered by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and Gizri police, citing a lack of evidence.

In May, Karachi police arrested Pinky, accusing her of operating one of the city’s most organised narcotics supply networks. She was arrested during a joint operation conducted by city police and a civil agency at an apartment in the Garden area. Investigators claim she ran a sophisticated cocaine processing and delivery operation with links extending beyond Karachi to Lahore, Islamabad and other cities. Police also said cases were registered against Pinky at Gizri Police Station in 2020, 2021 and 2022, and she was a fugitive in the said cases. Later, on August 13, a sessions court acquitted the alleged cocaine queen in three cases.

The judge announced the verdicts on applications filed by Anmol seeking acquittal in cases involving alleged drug offences and facilitation registered with the CTD, as well as a separate drug case registered at Gizri Police Station.

Read: Karachi court acquits drug queenpin 'Pinky' in three cases

A case was registered against Anmol at the CTD police station in 2018. Her brother, Nasir, had already been acquitted in the case.

The cases were heard by the additional district and sessions judge (South), in whose court Anmol appeared via video link. During the hearing, the prosecution failed to produce sufficient evidence against her, prompting the court to accept her acquittal pleas.

In its order, the court directed that Pinky be released if she was not wanted in any other case.

With the latest verdicts, Pinky has now been acquitted in five cases. A total of 22 cases related to alleged drug peddling and other offences have been registered against Pinky at various police stations across Karachi.

Pinky was arrested on May 11, following the death of two prominent personalities allegedly caused by drug overdose. She came under intense public scrutiny, while the police faced criticism, after she was produced before a court with what appeared to be special protocol a day after her arrest.

According to the police, Pinky not only supplied narcotics to affluent neighbourhoods, including DHA and Clifton, but also personally prepared high-grade cocaine and managed deliveries through female riders and online platforms.

Read More: Sindh IG says probe into Pinky's drug network expanded as she named 'certain personalities'

During interrogation, she allegedly claimed that “no one in Pakistan makes better cocaine” than her. Police said she sold two categories of cocaine — “White Coke” for Rs25,000 per gram and “Golden Category” cocaine for Rs40,000 per gram.

Pinky further alleged that she was being coerced into naming politicians and members of the entertainment industry.

She claimed that she had been subjected to torture and an investigating officer slapped her during interrogation. "The IO threatened me and asked me to name a former prime minister and actors Muneeb Butt and Syra Yousuf in the case," she had alleged.