ANF violating court orders in Hanif Abbasi case?

ISLAMABAD: The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has written letters to various banks for not implementing the Special Court’s judgment regarding de-freezing the bank accounts of Hanif Abbasi.

In its letters, the ANF has asked the banks that they have filed a petition against the Special Court’s judgment before Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi bench, therefore; the banks should not implement the lower court’s judgment regarding releasing the bank accounts of former member of National Assembly and PML-N leader. The LHC however, hasn’t granted any stay order or suspended the Special Court’s judgment so far.

On July 15, 2020, the regional directorate of ANF North wrote a letter to a private bank, which says, “Being aggrieved and dissatisfied with this judgment, Criminal Appeal against CNS Court Judgment date 01-07-2020 for de-freezing of assets in the name of Muhammad Hanif Abbasi and others has been filed in honourable Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench. Application for suspending the operation of aforementioned judgment has also been filed therein. Forging in view above mentioned bank accounts may not be released/de-freezed/transferred till further orders.”

Similar letters were written to other banks as well. After receiving these letters, the banks freezed the accounts of Hanif Abbasi and others nominated in the ephedrine case.

When contacted, ANF senior official Gul Muhammad said it is true that LHC Rawalpindi bench hasn't issued any stay order against Special Court's judgment in Hanif Abbasi assets case. However, he said, when an appeal has been filed in the high court then the Special Court's orders cannot be implemented.

When asked that senior legal experts are of the view that special court's order will remain intact until the high court suspends it or grant stay order against the judgment, he said ANF's legal team in North region has given this legal opinion that after filing the appeal in high court, the Special Court's judgment can no longer be implemented.