Gilani's son in drug quota allotment scam?

Mar 30, 2012 |

IANS

Islamabad

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A Rs 7 billion ($77 million) 'drug quota allotment' scam allegedly involving Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani' son has surfaced in Pakistan, Geo News reported.

A three-member Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry heard a case on Thursday against the health ministry illegally allotting a quota of a bronchodilator drug 'ephedrine' worth Rs.7 billion to two Multan-based companies.

The case was filed by Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) to bring the culprits to the task but its lawyer, Abid Zulfiqar, pleaded before the court on Thursday that his client wanted to withdraw the case.

When the Chief Justice asked Zulfiqar what was stopping the ANF from pursuing the case, he revealed that ANF was under extreme pressure regarding its probe into the health ministry's violations of rules, while awarding a quota of 9,000 kg ephedrine drastically exceeding the legal limit of 500 kg.

The lawyer disclosed that one 'Tauqeer Ali Shah', who claimed himself to be the secretary of PM Gilani's son Ali Musa Gilani, had been pressurising the ANF to sweep the case under the carpet.

In the line of duty, the ANF also tried to summon Ali Musa Gilani March 12, but to no avail, the ANF counsellor told the court.

Besides, ANF chief Brig Fahim Chaudhry told the court that it was Secretary Anti-Narcotics Department who put a full stop to the investigation by stating that an important political personality was not happy with the probe.

Summoned all the parties, the Supreme Court later adjourned the hearing till April 20.

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