Army has no influence in ANF matters: ANF chief

Force submits reply to petition alleging Gilani was manhandled by officials.

RAWALPINDI/ ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Army has nothing to do with the activities of the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), nor is the army involved in any case being investigated by the force, the body’s chief said on Monday.

ANF Director General (DG) Maj Gen Zaffar Iqbal said that military officers only served in the ANF on deputation. While talking to the media at the ANF’s head office, the DG said a misconception had been created by those implicated in the alleged misuse of ephedrine that the ANF was being managed or controlled by the Pakistan Army. He clarified that the force was entirely under the supervision of the federal government and was managed by the Ministry of Narcotics Control secretary.

He said over 90 people had been questioned so far in the ephedrine case and the scope of the investigation could spread in future. Currently investigations were underway in Balochistan where efforts were being made to arrest those buying the controlled substance and also possibly smuggling it to Iran, he added.

‘Harassing, manhandling’

Meanwhile, on Monday the ANF also filed a reply to the Supreme Court in response to a petition filed by the counsel for Ali Musa Gillani, son of former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani for allegedly harassing, manhandling and grossly insulting his client on his appearance for seeking bail in the ephedrine case.

Ali Musa was arrested on September 13 from the gate of the country’s apex court by ANF officials, who were later reprimanded for their actions. The Supreme Court allowed Ali Musa’s counsel to file an application against ANF’s conduct.

Defending the ANF, Advocate Raja Shahid Abbasi, contended that the Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi bench had rejected the bail application of Ali Musa in the ephedrine case on September 9 but he had managed to avoid the authorities for almost two weeks. Abbasi said that the ANF was not given any notice by the Supreme Court over Ali Musa’s bail application.

“Ali Musa’s contention that he was manhandled or insulted is incorrect as the ANF party treated him strictly in accordance with the law while arresting him. In fact, once he denied surrendering or coming out of his vehicle, he was made to come out of his vehicle and was shifted to an ANF vehicle,” Abbasi said.

The reply added that the accused was arrested as per law citing a provision that clearly allows use of force by police officers during an arrest and in the case of resistance to use all means necessary.

A three-member bench led by Justice Nasirul Mulk had accepted Ali Musa’s pre-arrest bail on September 14 against two surety bonds of Rs.0.5 million each which will be heard by the same bench on September 25.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2012.