ISLAMABAD – The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Sunday postponed elections in NA-60 Rawalpindi after Pakistan Muslim Legaue-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Hanif Abbasi was sentenced to life imprisonment in ephedrine quota case.
Abbasi was also disqualified after being declared guilty by a special anti-narcotics court late Saturday, just four days before the general election in the country. The PML-N leader was taken into custody from the courtroom soon after the judge convicted him for misusing 500kg of the controlled chemical ephedrine, which he obtained in 2010, and selling it to narcotics smugglers.
“The polling schedule for NA-60 will be issued later,” the ECP said in a statement.
On Sunday, judge Muhammad Akram Khan reserved judgment after Abbasi’s counsel concluded his arguments. The court on Friday had rejected the PML-N leader’s plea to extend the deadline t0 complete trial.
The case was registered against Abbasi in 2012 under relevant sections of the Control of Narcotics Substances (CNS) Act.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/headline/ephedrine-quota-case-against-hanif-abbasi-court-to-announce-verdict-today/
Abbasi was contesting elections on the PML-N ticket for the National Assembly seat NA-60 opposite to Sheikh Rasheed.
Meanwhile, on Sunday morning, dozens of PML-N workers staged a protest at 6th Road in Rawalpindi against Abbasi’s life sentence. The protest was led by Senator Chaudhry Tanvir and Sardar Naseem.
Addressing a press conference, Senator Tanvir said, “We reject the court verdict against Abbasi.”
“We are going to file a petition requesting a delay in polls in NA-60, Rawalpindi constituency from which Abbasi was contesting the upcoming election,” he added.
The PML-N leader further announced that they will stage a protest on a daily basis outside Abbasi’s office.
“No matter what, we will not let the field be open for our opponents,” Tanvir said.
The court, in its verdict announced after six years, ruled that 363kg of ephedrine quota could be accounted for, adding that Abbasi failed to provide evidence of utilising the remaining quantity of the controlled drug. The court acquitted seven other accused in the case, giving them the benefit of doubt.
Pakistan is set to hold general elections this Wednesday, July 25.
