Ephedrine quota case: ANF requests for Musa Gilani to be placed on ECL

SC asked to direct interior ministry to stop MNA and others from fleeing the country.

ISLAMABAD:

The Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) requested the Supreme Court on Tuesday to direct the interior ministry to place 14 names on the Exit Control List (ECL). All the names are of the accused in the ephedrine quota case, including Ali Musa Gilani, son of former premier Yousaf Raza Gilani.

In its application, the ANF submitted before the court that some of the accused including former health minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin and MNA Ali Musa Gilani had been granted interim bail, which was adversely affecting investigations.

ANF Director Rawalpindi Region and chief investigating officer in the case, Brigadier Fahim, told the court on Monday that he had requested the interior secretary eight months ago to place the names of the accused on the ECL. He further said that the ministry had not complied with the request.

The court then sought a written complaint from the ANF regarding the reluctance shown by the interior ministry to place the names of important personalities on the ECL.

Fourteen names were proposed by the ANF to be placed on the ECL – with Ali Musa’s name on top. The MNA was allegedly involved in misusing his father’s office by pressuring health ministry officials for an ephedrine quota allocation.

Shahabuddin, meanwhile, has been accused of directing the health ministry staff to issue quota conversion orders for Danas Pharmaceuticals as well as facilitating the misuse of ephedrine and formulating policies against public health. Presently he is on interim bail and may flee abroad, the application stated.

The ANF also stated that Khushnood Lashari, former principal secretary to Gilani, ordered the allocation and conversion of the quota while he was health secretary. The ANF further submitted that as establishment secretary, he pressurised the health ministry staff and used state machinery to sabotage case investigations.

ANF stated that Tauqir Ali Khan, personal secretary to Ali Musa, is accused of using his influence on behalf of Ali Musa in converting the ephedrine quota for Berlex Lab International Multan. He is an absconder in the case and may also flee abroad, ANF added.

Former ministry of narcotics secretary Zafar Abbas Luk also tried to block investigations and facilitated Ali Musa, the ANF submitted.

Referring to Rashid Jumma, the ANF stated that the health director general had approved a massive quota and converted it for local consumption.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 8^th, 2012.