LHC suspends Hanif Abbasi’s sentence, orders to release in ephedrine case

LHC suspends Hanif Abbasi’s sentence, orders to release in ephedrine case

Lahore (Staff Report/Agencies): The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday suspended life sentence of PML-N's former MNA Hanif Abbasi in ephedrine quota case and ordered to release him.

A two-member bench of the LHC took up the case for hearing.

During last hearing, petitioner's counsel took the plea that in the ephedrine case, trial was conducted against 8 suspects but only one suspect was awarded punishment.

According to the counsel, Hanif Abbasi was alleged of misusing ephedrine quota and the allegation of selling 500 kg ephedrine quota to smugglers is baseless and false.

Counsel prayed the court that it should order to release Hanif Abbasi after approving his appeal.

Abbasi was arrested and sent to Adiala jail after he was convicted by the Control of Narcotics Substances (CNS) Court of Rawalpindi and handed down life term in the case related to misuse of controlled chemical ephedrine.

The ANF had registered a case against Abbasi and his accomplices in June 2012 under Section 9-C, 14 and 15 of the CNS Act under which a convict may be awarded the death sentence.

Later, he was moved to Attock Jail following a controversy over a ‘leaked’ photo of him lounging with former PM Nawaz Sharif at Adiala Jail.