Gilani gave aide Rs.6m for 'medical check-up' in UK

Islamabad, Aug 3 (ANI): Former Pakistan prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani reportedly granted 40,000 pounds (Rs.6 million) to his principal secretary Kushnood Akhtar Lashari for a 'medical check-up' in the United Kingdom, without the recommendation of a medical board.

According to The Express Tribune, the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) wants Lashari for investigations in the ephedrine drug quota case, which also involved Gilani's younger son, Ali Musa.

Lashari served as the health secretary in 2010, and the illegal quotas were reportedly approved during his tenure. Gilani had subsequently promoted Lashari to the post of principal secretary.

According to a senior official of the Prime Minister Secretariat, Gilani had sanctioned the release of the funds for Lashari's medical check-up in the first week of June - a few days before the Supreme Court disqualified Gilani as premier.

Gilani had then directed the finance ministry to disburse the money to Lashari immediately. The ministry complied with the orders and the funds were released in two days.

Sources said the ministry did not point out the lack of a formal recommendation of a medical board of senior doctors that is required for disbursing such an amount.

Concerned authorities also did not point out that Lashari never reported any disease that is incurable in Pakistan.

The timing of the approval of Lashari's leave was already contentious, given that the investigations into the ephedrine case had picked up pace, the paper said. (ANI)