ATC issues bailable arrest warrants for Rana Sanaullah over death threats
Pakistan
Court directs authorities to present him on March 7
GUJRANWALA (Dunya News) – An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Friday issued bailable arrest warrants for Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah in a case lodged against him at Gujrat’s Industrial Area police station.
The court subsequently ordered the authorities to present him before it on March 7.
Earlier, the Gujrat police had lodged a terrorism case against Mr Sanaullah on the complaint of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Shahkaz Aslam, stating that the minister had threatened the then Punjab chief secretary and his family. Police had quashed the case and submitted a report to the court which was later annulled by the ATC, followed by the issuance of arrest warrants for the minister.
The court, while serving the show-cause notices on investigation officer, DSPs and SP Investigation, ordered them to present Mr Sanaullah before the court.
Earlier, Punjab Home Minister retired Col Hashim Dogar had shared that Mr Sanaullah was booked for threatening the honourable judiciary and government officials.
— Hashim Dogar|Ex Provincial Minister Punjab (@ColhashimDogar) August 25, 2022
In 2019, Mr Sanaullah had come into the limelight when a case was lodged against him over possessing narcotics. Later, when the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) - a coalition of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and others - led government came into power, a special court acquitted the minister in the case.
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In July 2019, Sanaullah had been arrested by the Anti-Narcotics Force’s (ANF) Lahore team while he was travelling from Faisalabad to Lahore near the Ravi Toll Plaza on the motorway. The force claimed to have seized 15 kilogrammes of heroin from his vehicle and arrested five others, including the driver and security guards of the PML-N leader.
During the hearing, ANF Assistant Director Imtiaz and Inspector Ehsaan termed the charges against Mr Sanaullah “incorrect” and “fake”. Separately, the two witnesses in the case also submitted their affidavits in court stating that the said drugs were not recovered in their presence.
Later, the court acquitted the PML-N leader and all the other accused in the case.
