PML-N workers protest in Rawalpindi against Hanif Abbasi's life sentence
July 22, 2018
RAWALPINDI: Dozens of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) workers staged a protest at 6th Road in Rawalpindi on Sunday against party leader Hanif Abbasi's life sentence.
The protest was led by Senator Chaudhry Tanvir and Sardar Naseem.
A special anti-narcotics court sentenced Abbasi to life in the ephedrine quota case late Saturday, just four days before the general election in the country. The PML-N leader was taken into custody from the courtroom soon after the judge announced the verdict.
Addressing a press conference, Senator Tanvir said, “We reject the court verdict against Abbasi.”
“We are going to file a petition requesting a delay in polls in NA-60, Rawalpindi constituency from which Abbasi was contesting the upcoming election,” he added.
The PML-N leader further announced that they will stage a protest on a daily basis outside Abbasi’s office.
“No matter what, we will not let the field be open for our opponents,” Tanvir said.
“Our second course of action [after seeking a delay in the poll] is to support any candidate who can defeat Sheikh Rasheed,” he asserted.
Abbasi, who was contesting the upcoming election from NA-60 Rawalpindi, was accused 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 for, adding that Abbasi failed to provide evidence of utilising the remaining quantity of the controlled drug.
The court acquitted seven other accused in the case, giving them the benefit of doubt.
A former MNA from Rawalpindi, Abbasi was expected to have a tough electoral contest on July 25 with Sheikh Rasheed — who is allied with the PML-N's arch-rival, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
11 PML-N UC chairmen lend support to PPP's candidate in NA-60
Separately, 11 union council (UC) chairmen of the PML-N lent support to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate in the NA-60 constituency following Abbasi’s disqualification.
The chairmen of union councils 21, 22, 23, 24, 70, 71, 72, 73, 75 and 76 announced they will be supporting PPP’s Mukhtar Abbas in the July 25 polls.
“No matter what PML-N decides, we will support PPP’s candidate,” UC chairman Waqar Dar said.
He further said that they will make a formal announcement regarding this during a press conference later today.
“We also appeal to the PML-N to support PPP’s candidate,” he added.
