In a bid to prevent those accused in the ephedrine scandal from leaving the country, the Ministry of Narcotics Control has recommended to the interior ministry to place former health minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin and Ali Musa Gilani (son of former premier Yousaf Raza Gilani) along with 17 others on the Exit Control List (ECL).
The narcotics control ministry moved the summary on the recommendations of the Anti Narcotics Force (ANF).
Well-placed sources told the Express Investigation Cell (EIC) that other accused whose names have been listed in the summary include former narcotics control secretary Zafar Abbas Luk, former health director general Dr Rashid Jumma, former health acting director general Dr Asad Hafeez, chief executive of Berlix Lab Multan Rizwan Ahmed Khan, alleged front man of Ali Musa Gilani, Tauqir Ahmed Khan, Director CAN Pharma Multan Hashim Tareen (allegedly involved in making a fake distribution network for Berlex), Director Florence Pharma Islamabad Ehsanur Rehman, Director Florence Pharma Multan Chaudhary Abdul Waheed Majid, Director Danas Pharma Islamabad Col (Retd) Tahir Lahoti and Executive Director Danas Pharma Islamabad Ansar Farooq.
Danas is the second major accused firm which allegedly misused an ephedrine quota for making pep pills. The recommended names also include those of former deputy drug controller Abdul Sattar Sohrani, Syed Tauqir Shirazi, former federal drug controller Shaikh Ansar Ahmed and Director Florence Pharma Islamabad Syed Anjum Shah.
Principal secretary to the former prime minister and key accused in the ephedrine case Khushnood Akhtar Lashari has already left Pakistan, and is currently residing in the UK. After his failure in showing up for investigations, the ANF is now reportedly preparing a case to issue a red warrant and issue his arrest through Interpol.
Lashari allegedly misused his authority as health secretary in 2010 to help Berlex Multan and Danas Pharma Islamabad to glean a 9,000 kilogrammes ephedrine quota on the basis of forged documents for fake exports to Afghanistan and Iraq. This quota was later converted to be applicable to the domestic market.
According to the ANF summary, Berlex and Danas Pharma had close links with former health minister Shahabuddin and Ali Musa, who used their political positions to help the accused firms get the ephedrine drug quota.
Referring to Dr Jumma’s role in the quota allocation, the summary maintains that the former health director general was pressurised by Lashari to issue the massive quota in clear violation of the 1976 Drug Act. The summary added that Luk, as the narcotics control ministry secretary, thwarted justice by blocking investigation into the case.
The ANF summary also noted that since the case is under investigation, the 19 accused in the case must be placed on the ECL to avoid them fleeing from Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 6th, 2012.
COMMENTS (13)
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@Mirza:
Actually while the NAB JIT was stopped from leaving from UK: it is reported that Arsalan Iftikhar is off to London. Just for tourism or getting rid of evidence: what do you think?
To quote another Pakistani Newspaper: ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ "ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has summoned a written complaint from the Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) over the failure of the Interior Ministry (IM) to place known personalities under investigation in the Ephedrine case on the Exit Control List (ECL).
During Monday’s proceedings, the investigating officer of the case Brigadier Fahim informed the court that Ali Musa Gilani, Khushnood Lashari and others had not been placed on the ECL despite a request being sent to the Interior Ministry eight months ago."
ET: is that correct? If it is then why is your story incomplete in this respect?
Ummm...while we're at it...how about including Hanif Abbassi's name on the ECL too (or is PML-N not subject to law)?
Shame on the defenders. Is that really the best you can say? The all should be hanged for this drug issue as it is crippling the social fabric of Pakistan. Because people like you (defenders of the culprits) Pakistan is spiralling down to become a failed state if not already unofficially. We have no respect internationally anyway. We are known to be drug traffickers and many common men have been executed in Saidi Arabia for trafficking. If CJ sentences these culprits then the world will welcome this step in ending trafficking of deluges from this region.
Yes ANF should let these theives do their work and sleep. had there been any proof of smuggling by ANF in NLC, our ex PM would not have let it go
Whats taking so long ?? It looks like the prosecution is again trying to let this guy go free - shameful.
Here we go again. No evidence: just one witness on the condition of plea bargain and the guy gets his name on ECL.
On the contrary you have one witness, hundreds of documents, bank statements, travel details, self consfessed dubious business with an exponential growth of zero to Rs900 million in three to four years and daddy PCO suspends all investigation.
UN's anti drug control unit is also visiting Pakistan in September to examine if the politicians and bureaucracy is involved. If proved, an additional disgrace to the nation amongst other crimes such as human trafficking etc. we are facing.
Please enter Ali Musa Gillani's name in ECL before leaving Pakistan by showing any lame excuses and pretends............
ANF itself is involved in drug trafficking in the country via NLC containers.
Given the widespread availability of heroin and hashish throughout the country, it doesn't seem like ANF is doing its job honestly.
yeah and while they're at it, they should consider completing a challan and submitting it before the courts instead of finding ways to prolong this investigation. ANF has put the reputation of the country's elite investigation agencies on the line by allowing political influences on their investigation, promptiing the international agencies to demand answers! Shame on ANF for subjecting Pakistan to yet another humility!