ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has asked the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) to file a written complaint over the names of some high profile suspects in the ephedrine case not being included in the Exit Control List (ECL), DawnNews reported.

Meanwhile, a bench of the Lahore High Court has extended interim bails for former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani’s son Ali Musa Gilani and former health minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin to Aug 13.

A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, was hearing the case on Monday.

The ANF’s investigating officer Brig Fahim informed the court today that a request had been forwarded by the ANF to the Interior Ministry to include names in the Exit Control List. The names included Ali Musa Gilani, and former health secretary Khushnood Lashari’s names.

However, even after eight months, no action had been taken by the Interior Ministry over the request.

The chief justice asked the investigating officer to submit a written complaint in the court over the issue.

On Friday, the SC had warned that action would be taken against Interior Secretary Khawaja Siddiq Akbar if he failed to appear before the bench during today’s hearing.

Earlier last week, the court had also accepted a request by Muhammad Tanvir, a senior official of the government’s drug regulatory body, for becoming a party in the case. Tanvir had accused Akbar of threatening him to exonerate former health secretary Khushnood Akhtar Lashari from the ephedrine drug scam, or face consequences.

Appearing before the bench today, Akbar informed the court of the reasons for his absence during previous hearings. Akbar also denied Tanvir’s accusations of threatening the senior official, upon which the court asked him to submit a written reply to the allegations.

The SC subsequently adjourned the hearing until Aug 8.

Musa Gilani, Shahabuddin’s bail extended

A division bench of the Lahore High Court in Rawalpindi on Monday, while hearing a similar case on the ephedrine quota scam, extended to Aug 13 the interim bail for Ali Musa Gilani and former health minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin.

Musa Gilani and Makhdoom Shahab had appeared before the LHC bench comprising Justice Syed Najamul Hassan and Justice Shahzad Ahmed Khan.

Both Musa Gilani and Makhdoom Shahab had been on interim bail and had appeared before the bench for its extension.

Earlier on July 30, the bench had directed Makhdoom Shahab and Musa Gilani to cooperate with the investigation team of the ANF in connection with the controlled chemical ephedrine scam.

The court had warned both of them that their non-cooperation would result in the cancellation of their interim bail subsequently leading to their arrest by the ANF.

Upon assurances by counsel of Makhdoom Shahab and Musa Gilani for joining the investigation, the court had extended their interim bail till Aug 6.