Ephedrine quota case: interim bail of Musa, Makhdoom extended

August 14, 2012

FAZAL SHER

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The division bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) in Rawalpindi on Monday extended the interim bail of Ali Musa Gilani son of former Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and former health minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin till August 27 in the ephedrine quota allotment case.

The division bench comprising Justice Ibadur Rehman Lodhi and Justice Khawaja Imtiaz Ahmed, while hearing the ephedrine quota case extended the bail till August 27. The case involves the illegal allocation of ephedrine quota to two pharmaceutical companies - Berlex Lab International and Danas Pharmaceutical. Counsel of Musa Gilani, Dr Khalid Ranjha appeared before the bench on the behalf of his client, whereas the lawyer of Makhdoom Shahab, Shah Khawar failed to appear during the hearing on account of personal commitments.

The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) prosecutor objected to the absence of Makhdoom Shahab's counsel and told the court that the defendants were using various delaying tactics in the case. The court said that matter would be argued in the next hearing and extended the interim bail for Musa Gilani and Makhdoom Shahab till August 27. During the last hearing held on August 6, Makhdoom Shahab's counsel had levelled allegations against the Control of Narcotics Substance (CNS) judge and expressed lack of confidence in the CNS judges Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry when the court directed to appear before the CNS court. He also criticised the ANF for making former Director General (DG) Health Dr Rashid Juma and Rizwan Khan the director of Danas pharmaceutical approvers in the case.

Former DG Health Rasheed Jumma in his testimony given to ANF in ephedrine quota scam had confessed that he granted the quota of ephedrine on pressure from Ali Musa Gilani, Makhdoom Shahbuddin and Khushnood Lashari. Similarly, Rizwan Khan said in his testimony that a quotas of 2,500-kg and 6,500-kg were allotted to Danas Pharmaceutical Company and Berlex Limited, respectively as well as added that former minister for Health Makhdoom Shahabuddin's agent Anjum Shah was the front man in the allotment process and after the allotment, he was paid an amount of Rs 6 million.