RAWALPINDI: During Saturday’s hearing of the ephedrine quota case, the Control of Narcotics Substances (CNS) court ordered the seizure of assets belonging to former principal secretary to the prime minister, Khushnood Akhtar Lashari, as well as proprietors of three pharmaceutical companies over their failure to appear for the hearing, DawnNews reported.

Also during the hearing, the wife and sons of former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani and former federal minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin submitted the details of their assets in the CNS court.

Fauzia Gilani, Ali Musa Gilani and Abdul Qadir Gilani submitted the details of their properties in the court. Shahabuddin also submitted details of his assets, adding that he had inherited his wealth and properties from his ancestors.

Musa Gilani's counsel, Faisal Hussain Chaudhry, told the court that his client had three bank accounts which had a little over a million rupees. Faisal also explained Musa Gilani's sources of income to the court.

He also provided details of the bank accounts of Abdul Qadir Gilani and Fauzia Gilani.

Chaudhry added that Yousuf Raza Gilani had no connection with or role in the ephedrine quota case and that he had not been issued any notices over his assets and properties.

The case’s hearing was subsequently adjourned to July 30.

The case

The ephedrine quota case first surfaced in February 2012 after the Supreme Court pointed out to political involvement in the alleged illegal allocation of 9,000 kilograms of ephedrine to two pharmaceutical companies and its conversion for sale in the local market.

Then in June 2012, arrest warrants were issued by the ANF magistrate for Shahabuddin on the day he was submitting nomination papers for the prime minister slot.

Shahabuddin had become a contender for the PM slot after former premier Gilani was disqualified by the Supreme Court for refusing to write a letter to the Swiss Court with regard to NRO implementation case.

Musa Gilani was also named in the case and was declared by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) at one point as one of the absconders in connection with the controversy. Arrest warrants had also been issued against the former premier’s son.

CNS proceedings

On March 8, the CNS court finally commenced proceedings against Shahabuddin, Musa Gilani, and Lashari in connection with the case.

The court summoned nine accused and issued perpetual warrants for the arrest of Lashari and two alleged frontmen — Tauqir Ali Khan and Syed Anjum Shah — who are charged with procuring 9,000 kilograms of the controlled chemical for Berlix and Danas pharmaceutical companies.

The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) had submitted the final challan of the case to the court on February 22.

According to the prosecution, Khan was the frontman of Musa Gilani while Shah dealt with pharmaceutical companies on behalf of the federal minister.