Islamabad: Pakistan`s Supreme Court on Tuesday
issued notices to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani`s son Ali
Musa and a top bureaucrat in a case relating to alleged
irregularities in the import of a large amount of chemical
Ephedrine, commonly known as "poor man`s cocaine" and used to
make a medicine for colds, flu and asthma.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar
Chaudhry ordered Ali Musa Gilani and Principal Secretary
Khusnood Lashari to record their statements with the
Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) before the next hearing on April
20.
Ali Musa Gilani was recently elected a member of the
National Assembly or lower house of parliament in a
bye-election in Multan.
Earlier, the premier`s elder son, Abdul Qadir Gilani, was
linked to alleged corruption in the arrangement of the Haj
pilgrimage in 2010.
The apex court is examining allegations about out-of-turn
quotas for importing raw materials that were granted to two
pharmaceutical companies by the Health Ministry, allegedly
under the influence of Ali Musa Gilani.
ANF officials have informed the court that quotas for
9,000 kg were granted to Berlex Labs International and Denis
Pharmaceutical though the official limit for Ephedrine is 500
kg.
The International Narcotics Control Board fixed an annual
quota of 22,000 kg of Ephedrine for Pakistan for 2010-11 but
the Health Ministry allegedly allocated quotas for around
31,000 kg.
Lashari was the Health Secretary when the quotas were
allotted.
Following media reports yesterday that the government had
transferred two officials who were investigating the Rs 7
billion scam, the apex court today ordered that the officials
should be allowed to continue the probe.
The Chief Justice referred to the reported transfer of
the officials and remarked that this may have happened as some
prominent persons were involved in the scam.
One of the officials, Brig Faheem Ahmed Khan, told the
bench that the ANF had earlier issued summons to Ali Musa
Gilani and Lashari to record their statements last year.
At Lashari`s request, ANF officers met him at the Prime
Minister`s House and Lashari reportedly said the premier was
upset at the summons issued to his son, Khan told the court.
Khan further told the court today Narcotics Control Board
chief Zafar Abbas had stopped his team from carrying on
further investigations.
The apex court last month turned down a request from
authorities to close the case.
The issue was earlier raised in the National Assembly in
2009 and former Health Minister Makdoom Shahabuddin had set up
a fact-finding committee.
On the recommendation of this committee, the ANF had
initiated an investigation.
PTI
