Aaj TV English News - Pakistan https://english.aaj.tv/ Aaj TV English en-Us Copyright 2026 Tue, 21 Apr 2026 16:43:32 +0500 Tue, 21 Apr 2026 16:43:32 +0500 60 Ephedrine-tainted Hanif Abbasi resigns after barred as SAPM https://english.aaj.tv/news/30287849/ephedrine-tainted-hanif-abbasi-resigns-after-barred-as-sapm <p><strong>ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister Hanif Abbasi resigned Thursday after the Islamabad High Court temporarily <a href="https://www.aaj.tv/news/30286435">barred</a> the PML-N leader from working in that capacity on May 17.</strong></p> <figure class='media w-full w-full media--stretch media--uneven media--stretch'> <div class='media__item media__item--twitter '> <span> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> <a href="https://twitter.com/Aaj_Urdu/status/1532219538556739584"></a> </blockquote> </span></div> <figcaption class='media__caption '></figcaption> </figure> <p>Sheikh Rashid Ahmed challenged Abbasi’s appointment in the IHC as SAPM as the latter had been convicted in the ephedrine case in 2019.</p> <p>Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appointed Abbasi as his special assistant with the status of federal minister on April 27. However, no portfolio was assigned to Abbasi.</p> <p>In a hearing of the case on May 9, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah instructed the prime minister to review his decision regarding the appointment of the PML-N leader as his aide.</p> <p>In July 2018, the Control of Narcotics Substances court <a href="https://www.aaj.tv/news/20016366/breaking-news-pml-n-leader-hanif-abbasi-sentenced-to-life-in-ephedrine-quota-case">handed</a> life imprisonment to Abbasi in the ephedrine quota case.</p> <p>However, the Lahore High Court suspended the life sentence handed to Abbasi and ordered his release on bail in 2019.</p> ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister Hanif Abbasi resigned Thursday after the Islamabad High Court temporarily barred the PML-N leader from working in that capacity on May 17.

Sheikh Rashid Ahmed challenged Abbasi’s appointment in the IHC as SAPM as the latter had been convicted in the ephedrine case in 2019.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appointed Abbasi as his special assistant with the status of federal minister on April 27. However, no portfolio was assigned to Abbasi.

In a hearing of the case on May 9, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah instructed the prime minister to review his decision regarding the appointment of the PML-N leader as his aide.

In July 2018, the Control of Narcotics Substances court handed life imprisonment to Abbasi in the ephedrine quota case.

However, the Lahore High Court suspended the life sentence handed to Abbasi and ordered his release on bail in 2019.

]]> Pakistan https://english.aaj.tv/news/30287849 Thu, 02 Jun 2022 11:23:18 +0500 none@none.com (Tariq Chaudhary) Hanif Abbasi. File photo