LAHORE: The Lahore High Court observed that an inspector or equivalent official of Pakistan Rangers can search, seize and arrest any person within 20 kilometres of the international borders committing an offence under Control of Narcotic Substances Act, 1997 (CNSA 1997).
The court passed this order in a petition of Maqbool Ali who approached the court for bail in a case registered against him under Section 9 (1)-6c of The Control of Narcotic Substances Act, 1997.
According to a report submitted before the court Pakistan Rangers received a tip about the presence of some suspects in village Phatankay adjacent to defence post near the Indian borders.
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Rangers raided and captured the petitioner, while two other accused flee from the spot. The rangers also recovered two packets containing total 1060 grams of heroin from the petitioner.
The petitioner’s counsel contended whole the story was concocted as petitioner once resisted the interference of the rangers into his property rights who retaliated to book the petitioner in this false case.
He further stated that the rangers have no authority to arrest and detain the offenders under the Control of Narcotic Substances Act, 1997 (CNSA 1997).
The court said claim of the petitioner’s counsel that arrest by sub inspector Pakistan Rangers has vitiated the whole proceedings, cannot be honoured as officers of the rangers handed over the petitioner to local police after arrest and seizure of narcotics.
The court also said that huge quantity of heroin has been recovered from the possession of petitioner with his active knowledge which cannot be termed as innocent mistake.
Nothing is available on record which could prima facie show that the rangers have any ill-will or ulterior motive to falsely implicate the petitioner in this case, the court added.
The court said that no illegality has been observed, particularly when the case has been investigated by the police.
The court dismissed the bail petition and said apparently sufficient material is available on record to connect the petitioner with the commission of alleged crime.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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