LHC acquits Hanif Abbasi in ephedrine quota case

LAHORE: In a significant legal turn of events, the Lahore High Court (LHC) acquitted PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi on Wednesday in the longstanding ephedrine quota case, reversing the previous life imprisonment verdict pronounced by the trial court against the former member of the National Assembly.

Abbasi, who had been facing charges of smuggling and misuse of ephedrine, had persistently contested the life imprisonment verdict after the prosecution had substantiated the allegations.

Just a day ago, a division bench presided over by Justice Aalia Neelum had reserved its judgment, setting the stage for this legal outcome.

Throughout the proceedings, the bench posed critical questions concerning the legal foundation of the case, contending that mere possession of ephedrine should not automatically imply guilt unless definitive evidence of misuse was presented.

The prosecution’s legal representative conceded that no evidence of smuggling could be conclusively established against Abbasi. The petitioner’s counsel argued that his client had been intentionally ensnared in what was perceived as a ‘politically motivated’ and fabricated case by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) in 2018, allegedly designed to tarnish his reputation.

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Previously, the Control of Narcotics Substances (CNS) court in Rawalpindi had meted out a life sentence to Abbasi. Subsequently, an appeal had been filed against this verdict, and in the interim, the LHC had suspended the enforcement of the sentence, ultimately leading to Abbasi’s release.

The petitioner’s lawyer contended that the ephedrine quota had been allocated to 28 companies, and an inquiry into the excessive allocation of the quota was initiated against his client. Additionally, allegations were made regarding Abbasi’s involvement in drug peddling.

Significantly, only seven companies had been explicitly named in the First Information Report (FIR), while the rest had been absolved of any wrongdoing. However, the trial court had imposed a life sentence on Abbasi without comprehensive scrutiny of the facts or the application of judicial discretion.

The petitioner had implored the LHC to nullify the trial court’s sentence.

Case history

In July 2018, the Control of Narcotics Substances (CNS) court sentenced Hanif Abbasi to life imprisonment in the ephedrine quota case. At the time, Abbasi had been actively participating in elections, contesting against Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid from NA-60 (Rawalpindi).

The verdict, delivered by Judge Sardar Muhammad Akram, had found Abbasi guilty of illegally selling 500kg of ephedrine to narcotics smugglers. A fine of Rs1 million had also been imposed on the PML-N leader, while seven other accused in the case had been acquitted due to reasonable doubt.

Following his acquittal, Hanif Abbasi expressed his gratitude, offering praise for the foresight of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who had earlier predicted the case was fabricated. Abbasi acknowledged the significant hardships his family had endured throughout the ordeal, including the unlawful detention of his brother and his daughter’s job loss.

Abbasi emphasized that the PML-N eagerly anticipates welcoming their leader on October 21, underscoring the unwavering love and respect of the public for Nawaz Sharif.