LAHORE – Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hanfi Abbasi, who was sentence to life in prison in ephedrine case, has once again been relocated. This time he has been shifted to Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore from Attock jail.
The close-aide of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was moved to jail in Lahore during last night; however, the reasons behind the actions are still unknown.
On September 22, incarcerated Abbasi was shifted District Jail Attock from Rawalpindi’s Adiala prison amid tight surveillance on the directives of DIG Rawalpindi region after his photograph with former prime minister Nawaz Sharif at Adiala jail went viral on the internet.
Nawaz Sharif was imprisoned in the same facility after being convicted in the Avenfield reference, however, after the suspension of his conviction, a photograph featuring Hanif Abbasi and former premier sitting in the superintendent’s office stumped the internet, prompting the authorities in Punjab to take stern action.
Scores of social media users wondered as to how a camera was carried inside the jail and Abbasi was allowed to meet the former premier.
The Pindiite was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Control of Narcotics Substances (CNS) court in the ephedrine quota case on July 21, three days before general elections.
The court had acquitted seven other accused in the case, giving them the benefit of doubt, however, ruled that 363kg of ephedrine quota could be accounted for.
ANF registered a case against PML-N leader and his accomplices in June 2012 under sections 9-C, 14 and 15 of the Control of Narcotics Substances (CNS) Act for misuse of 500kg of ephedrine which he obtained for his company, Gray Pharmaceutical, in 2010.
Hanif Abbasi has filed an appeal against his conviction before the LHC Rawalpindi. The court has admitted the plea for hearing and sought reply from Central Jail Rawalpindi officials and the Anti-Narcotics Force on October 9.
