Suspecting foul play: SC denies request to pull chemical case
The ANF had earlier filed a case against individuals involved in illegal importing of a banned chemical, allegedly used in preparation of cocaine. The premier’s son had also been summoned in the case earlier but he has not appeared before the investigation team yet.
At the hearing on Thursday, however, ANF’s Commander Brigadier Faheem said he wanted to withdraw the case.
The chief justice inquired why such an important case was being withdrawn.
Faheem replied that he was instructed by Narcotics Secretary Zafar Abbas to not proceed in any case involving [personal assistant to Ali Musa] Tauqeer Ali Khan, and a ‘political figure’ from Multan.
The chief justice asked who the ‘political figure’ being referred to is; Prime Minister’s son Ali Musa Gilani, Faheem replied.
“Is the secretary a prosecutor himself?” a visibly annoyed chief justice asked, instructing Faheem to bring the secretary’s letter at the next hearing.
Divulging further, Faheem said Khan had played a major role in getting the quota for banned chemicals assigned to two companies – Multan-based Barlex Lab International and Denas Pharmaceutical.
The quota was granted in violation of rules since only 500 kilogrammes of the proscribed chemical can be imported but the two companies were allowed to import a much larger quantity amounting to Rs7 billion, he said. The court was also informed that FIRs have been registered against 10 people.
The issue was also brought up in the National Assembly when former health minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin said he would investigate the importing of the chemical in such large quantities, Faheem said.
An investigation committee was formed but its findings were neither tabled in the assembly nor were they implemented, he added.
The case has been adjourned until April 20.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 30th, 2012.
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