Hanif Abbasi

Hanif Abbasi
Member of Parliament of Pakistan
In office
18 February 2008 – 16 March 2013
President Asif Ali Zardari
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani
Raja Pervez Ashraf
Constituency NA-56 (Rawalpindi-VI)
Personal details
Born

Muhammad Hanif Abbasi
January 1966 (age 50)


Lahore, Pakistan

Nationality Pakistani
Political party Pakistan Muslim League (N)
Children 3
Alma mater University of the Punjab
Occupation Politician
businessman
Profession Politician
Religion Islam
Website www.mohammadhanifabbasi.com

Muhammad Hanif Abbasi (Urdu: محمد حنيف عباسى‎; born 4 January 1966) is a Pakistani businessman and politician. He was elected as a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan, representing Rawalpindi, on the ticket of the Pakistan Muslim League, in 2008. He was involved in an ephedrine controversy in 2012.

In 1986 Mr. Hanif Abbasi was running a general store in Omar Block Allama Iqbal Town, Lahore. Later on after the death of his father he became a branch manager of Habib Industrial Cooperative Corporation Ltd. and then in 1990 he moved to Rawalpindi. This is the surprising story of this businessman cum politician.

Early life and education

Muhammad Hanif Abbasi was born in Lahore on 4 January 1966. His father is Muhammad Khalil Abbasi and he is one of five brothers; he also has one sister. He studied in the Muslim League High School in Lahore and went on to attend the FC College and University of the Punjab.[1]

He started his career as a cricketer in Rawalpindi in 1986.

Political career

As a member of the right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami party, Abbasi scored an upset win in the 2002 by-elections for the NA-56 (Rawalpindi VII) constituency, defeating Sheikh Rashid Shafiq.[2] In 2008 Abbasi joined the centre-right party Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) and defeated Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Sheikh Rashid Shafiq's uncle, by a wide margin in the general election.[3][4] In that election, Abbasi accumulated 73,433 votes; his nearest opponent, Shaukat Hayyat Khan of Pakistan Peoples Party, took 22,720, while Rashid garnered 10,964 votes.[5]

Abbasi was the PML-N's candidate representing NA-56 in the 2013 general elections. He contested against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) chairman Imran Khan in 2013.[1][6][7]Imran Khan defeated him with the difference of 13356 votes.

Controversy

Abbasi owns a pharmaceutical wholesale business.[1] He is popular as Ephedrine Abbasi افیڈرین اباسی the drug smuggler.[8] In July 2012 the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) filed a case in the Lahore High Court alleging that Abbasi and several colleagues misused 500 kilograms (1,100 lb) of ephedrine.[9] The ANF filed a first information report (FIR) claiming that Abbasi's company acquired far more than the legal limit of ephedrine.[10] The prosecutor claimed that Abbasi smuggled the quota to a nearby country rather than use it in the local production of medicines. Abbasi and two others were freed on bail.[9] Abbasi has denied the charge, calling it "a blatant political victimization".[10]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Muhammad Hanif Abbasi". Pakistani Leaders Online. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  2. ↑ Ghuman, Zulifiqar; Ghauri, Irfan; Bilal, Muhammad (6 February 2008). "Political battle in Potohar". Daily Times. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  3. ↑ Sigamony, Terence J. (20 February 2008). "PML-N's win in Pindi surprises PPPP and PML-Q". Daily Times. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  4. ↑ "Former MMA MNA Hanif Abbasi joins PML (N)". Associated Press of Pakistan (APP). Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  5. ↑ "NA-56 – Rawalpindi-VII". Geo TV. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  6. ↑ "PML-N finalises NA candidates". The Nation. 26 March 2013. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  7. ↑ Yasin, Aamir (26 March 2013). "PML-N finalises NA candidates". Dawn. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  8. ↑ Raja, Mudassir (12 September 2012). "Ephedrine case: MNA pleads innocence as pharma companies threaten supply freeze". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  9. 1 2 "Ephedrine case: LHC confirms bail for Hanif Abbasi, two others". Dawn. 1 November 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  10. 1 2 "Ephedrine case: FIR lodged against Hanif Abbasi". Geo TV. 30 July 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
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