Ordering his release, the Lahore High Court (LHC) suspended on Thursday the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hanif Abbasi's life imprisonment sentence in the ephedrine case.

A two-member bench, headed by Judge Alia Neelum, announced the verdict and set aside the anti-narcotics court's verdict in handing down life imprisonment to the PML-N leader. The court has ordered Abbasi's release on bail, local media reported.

Abbasi was sentenced to life in prison in ephedrine quota case by an anti-narcotics court in July 2018. Abbasi was convicted for obtaining a large amount of ephedrine and then selling it to narcotic smugglers. Ephedrine is a controlled substance.

Anti-Narcotics Force registered a case against Abbasi and others in June 2012, under sections 9-C, 14 and 15 of the Control of Narcotics Substances Act for misuse of ephedrine.