The case is pending before the apex court wherein the son of the former prime minister, along with other senior officials, is an accused in the scam. The ANF, in its application submitted before the court, said that certain accused, including Makhdoom Shahbuddin, ex-Health Minister, and Ali Musa Gilani, MNA and son of former PM Gilani, are being granted interim bails, which is adversely affecting the investigation.

“The secretary of the Ministry of Interior be directed to place the names of accused on the ECL,” the ANF submitted before the court.Fahim, Director ANF and head of the investigation, on August 6 told a three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, hearing the instant case that he had requested the Interior Ministry some eight months back to place the names of the accused in the case on ECL. However, he said, the ministry did not accept the ANF request.

The court then sought written complaint from ANF regarding the reluctance shown by the Ministry of Interior for placing the names of important personalities on ECL.Ali Musa Gilani has been accused of misusing the office of his father by pressurising the Ministry of Health staff for allocation of ephedrine HCL.

Makhdoom Shahabuddin has been accused of directing the Ministry of Health staff to issue conversion orders for Danas Pharmaceuticals and facilitating in abnormal allocation and misuse of ephedrine HCL. He is also accused of misusing his office and formulating policies against public health.

The ANF also stated that Khushnood Akhtar Lashari, former Principal Secretary to ex-PM Gilani, as health secretary ordered allocation/conversion of ephedrine HCL. He allegedly abetted and facilitated the release of abnormal allocation and for the misuse by the companies. The ANF further submitted that as secretary establishment, he pressurised the Ministry of Health staff and used state machinery to spoil the case.

The ANF stated that Tauqir Ali Khan, Personal Secretary to Ali Musa Gilani, is accused of using his influence on behalf of Ali Musa Gilani in allocation/conversion of ephedrine HCL for Barlex Lab International Multan. He is absconder in the case and may flee abroad, the ANF added.

Similarly, the ANF submitted that Zafar Abbas Luk, ex-Secretary Ministry of Narcotics, by virtue of his appointment as secretary Ministry of Narcotics tried to spoil the case and facilitated the accused in FIR 40/2011. He also created hindrance in investigation by aiding the accused. He may flee the country to avoid trial/prosecution.

Referring to Rashid Juma, the ANF stated that being DG Health he had approved extraordinary quota of ephedrine and converted into local sale.Others whose names have been requested for putting on ECL included Iftikhar Ahmed Khan Babar, owner of Barlex International Multan, Tahirul Wahood Lahoti, Director Danas Pharma, Ansar Farooq, ex-CEO Danas Pharma, Rizwan Ahmed Khan, Director Danas Pharma, Dr Asad Hafeez, ex-DG Health, Sheikh Ansar Ahmed, Drug Controller, Ministry of Health, Abdul Sattar Sorani, Drug Controller, and Syed Anjum Hussain Shah.