LAHORE - An anti-narcotics court on Saturday fixed March 07 for indictment of former Punjab minister Rana Sanaullah and co-accused in drug recovery case. The court also rejected two petitions of Rana Sanaullah for handing over his vehicle, taken in custody in the case, and his demand of providing video related to the case.
The anti-narcotics court had reserved its decision over the petitions in the previous hearing of the case on January 18.
The court also turned down a petition of the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) seeking early hearing of the case. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Punjab president has filed a petition in the court praying to release his land cruiser vehicle on Supardari.
His counsel argued in the court that Rana Sanaullah has acted against several outlawed groups as law minister and having threat to his life. He pleaded for return of the bullet-proof vehicle, which was in the custody of the ANF.
ANF counsel while opposing the plea argued that Rana Sanaullah didn’t express any apprehension about threat to his life earlier. A vehicle taken in custody in a drugs case could not be handed over on Supardari, ANF counsel argued.
The term Supardari used in a sense when a defendant seeks release of his vehicle or other case property during the pendency of the case.
Rana Sanaullah was arrested last year in July by the ANF from the Islamabad-Lahore motorway near the Sukheki area. According to ANF claim, drugs were recovered from the PML-N leader’s car. He was released on bail on Dec 26. His name has been put on the Exit Control List (ECL) in drug case.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader MNA Rana Sanaullah on Saturday admitted that Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman is unhappy with PML-N.
Talking to media persons after appearing before an anti-narcotics court the former Punjab law minister said that some misunderstandings were created between PML-N and opposition allies especially with JUI-F. “We will convince Maulana Fazl Rehman and form a joint strategy,” he added. He said that his party “PML-N not in favour of interim set up as we want fresh elections in the country,”
Rana Sanaullah said that Rs60 million have been given to 10 prosecutors in a case against him.
He said that had in the previous hearing reserved verdict in a petition seeking submission of video evidence against him claimed by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) and recovery of his confiscated vehicle in a drug case, lashed out at the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
“Including their political allies, 22 crore people are also angry with the PTI […] their allies should jump off the PTI’s boat as soon as possible,” he said. “It a matter of utter shame for the government to lodge fake drug cases against its own citizens […] we are not being provided the required information in the case while a judge was transferred via [an order] using WhatsApp,” he stated.
“Innocent individuals are granted bails […] Saad Rafique, Ahsan Iqbal, Shahid Khaqan and Hamza Shehbaz will also be given bails.” He said
The PML-N leader criticised the incumbent government for inflation in the country. He said that not only People but PTI government’s allies are also angry with them.
“PML-N not in favour of interim set up as we want fresh elections in the country,” he added.
Commenting over Maryam Nawaz’s London fly out, Rana Sanaullah said that PML-N vice president should be with her ailing father in London as it is her legitimate right. “Government has no right to ban the movement of any politician,” said Rana, and termed the cases against Maryam Nawaz as “biased” and based on “political revenge”.
