LHC declares Hanif Abbasi's sentence in ephedrine quota case null and void

LAHORE: In a major legal victory, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hanif Abbasi was acquitted by the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday in the ephedrine quota case and his lifetime sentence in the case was also declared null and void.

A two-member LHC bench announced the verdict it had reserved a day earlier on Abbasi’s appeal against the conviction.

After hearing the concluding arguments of lawyers for the appellant and government, the bench — comprising Justice Aalia Neelum and Justice Asjad Javed Ghural — had reserved the judgment.

Abbasi was awarded life imprisonment by a special court for control of narcotics substance (CNS) along with Rs1 million fine a few days before the 2018 general elections on July 21.

The case against him and other co-accused was registered by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) in 2012 under Sections 9-C, 14 and 15 of the Control of Narcotics Substances (CNS) Act for misuse of 500kg ephedrine. He was contesting election against his main rival Sheikh Rashid Ahmad of Awami Muslim League from NA-60, Rawalpindi but he stood disqualified following the guilty verdict.

The appeal filed by Abbasi said the conviction was politically motivated, as only one out of eight suspects in the case was convicted and that was the appellant. It said the appellant never misused the ephedrine quota but the trial court ignored basic legal questions before handing down the impinged sentence.

It argued that the ephedrine did not fall within the definition of scheduled drug or controlled narcotics but the trial judge relied upon a definition of ephedrine explained on Google.

Talking to the media after the verdict was issued, Abbasi said he fought the case for 11 years and also spent 11 months in jail because of it.

“I was kept away from two elections (due to the case) and my daughter was also kicked out from her job,” Abbasi claimed. He also shared that his younger brother was kept in illegal confinement for 14 days because of this.

“If Sheikh Rashid contests the election then the competition will be in the polls,” said Abbasi.

Talking about PML-N supremo’s return this week, Abbasi said that he will take out the largest caravan from Rawalpindi to welcome Nawaz Sharif.

Shehbaz welcomes LHC verdict 

Soon after the verdict, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif took to X to welcome the LHC decision.

“Alhamdulillah, Hanif Abbasi was acquitted today in a fabricated and baseless case. This acquittal is actually an acquittal from the lie that Quaid Nawaz Sharif and all his male and female leaders and workers who supported him had to face for many years, but eventually, the truth comes out,” said the former prime minister.

Shehbaz on behalf of his party paid tribute to Abbasi and his family for their perseverance and fight against a “very dangerous charge”.

“Congratulations on your acquittal,” said the former prime minister.