ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hanif Abbasi was shifted to Attock jail from Adiala jail Rawalpindi on Saturday.
The incarcerated PML-N leader was shifted to Attock jail on the directives of DIG Rawalpindi after a photo surfaced of him with Nawaz Sharif and others inside Adiala jail before the former premier’s release.
Inspector General (IG) Prisons Punjab on Thursday ordered an inquiry into the matter and a notification issued from his office said, “As it is evident from media reports that at the time of release of NAB convicts, Mian Nawaz Sharif, Captain (R) Muhammad Safdar and Maryam Nawaz on September 19, pictures of ANF prisoner Hanif Abbasi with Nawaz Sharif and others were taken and telecast on number of TV channels as well as circulated on social media.”
“ANF prisoner namely Hanif Abbasi was seen in the office of Superintendent of Central Jail, Rawalpindi, which caused adverse impression and bad name for the Prisons Department and the Government of Punjab,” it added.
The notification further said the competent authority had constituted an inquiry committee comprising DIG Prisons Malik Shaukat Feroze and AIG Judicial Malik Safdar Nawaz to probe into the matter and find out how Abbasi was allowed to enter the Admin Block and office of jail superintendent.
Meanwhile, search operation in Adiala jail was started for investigating the matter and more than 200 additional police personnel from different districts of Punjab were sent to Adiala jail in this regard.
Jail sources said that a search operation was under way in all barracks.
On July 22, Abbasi was sentenced to life imprisonment by a special anti-narcotics court in the ephedrine quota case.
Abbasi faced charges of misusing 500kg of the controlled chemical ephedrine, which he obtained for his company, Gray Pharmaceutical, in 2010. The court, in its verdict announced after six years, ruled that 363kg of ephedrine quota could be accounted, adding that Abbasi failed to provide evidence of the use of remaining quantity of the drug.
The court acquitted seven other accused in the case, giving them the benefit of doubt.
