RAWALPINDI:
A lower court judge on Monday rejected an application of Ali Musa Gilani for the cancellation of his arrest warrant in the ephedrine case.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Kaleem Khan dismissed the application filed by Gilani, son of former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.
On June 21, Magistrate Shafqatullah Khan issued warrants for the arrest of Gilani, who is also member of the National Assembly from Multan, and former health minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin in the case, relating to the issuance of excessive quota for the import of ephedrine, which is a controlled substance.
Gilani’s lawyer Abdul Aziz Ali had argued before the court that a magistrate could not issue arrest warrants in a case being investigated by the ANF. He posited there are special trial courts for narcotics cases and arrest warrants for any accused could not be obtained from a magistrate.
The lawyer urged the judge to set aside the magistrate’s order and cancel the warrants, but the judge rejected the plea and upheld the orders.
Meanwhile, former health minister Shahabuddin obtained a week-long protective bail from the Peshawar High Court after his arrest warrants were also issued the day he was to submit nomination papers as the ruling party’s candidate for prime minister.
Published In The Express Tribune, June 26th, 2012.
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