Musa Gilani, others indicted in ephedrine quota case

ISLAMABAD: A special Anti-Narcotics Court on Friday indicted Ali Musa Gilani, the son of former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, along with 10 others in an ephedrine quota scandal, which hit the PPP government in 2011.

The case involves two Pakistani pharmaceutical companies -- Berlex and Danas -- that allegedly used political connections to obtain huge amounts of ephedrine and diverted it to people in the drug trade. The companies denied any wrongdoing.

Special court judge Irum Niazi heard the case and charged Ali Musa Gilani, former health minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin, health secretary Khushnood Lashari, former health Director General Asad Hafeez, former Deputy Drug Controller Abdul Sattar Shorwani, Sheikh Nusrat Anjum Shah and others.

The court summoned witnesses and adjourned the hearing till May 12 as the accused denied allegations and also filed pleas.