Shehryar pleads to conduct Rana Sana’s trial in jail for witnesses’ protection
ISLAMABAD: Minister for SAFRON & Narcotics Control Shehryar Khan Afridi on Saturday requested the Anti-Narcotics Court to conduct trial of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Punjab Rana Sanaullah in jail, or transfer the case to Rawalpindi for protection of witnesses.
“An Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) team came under deadly attack in Rawalpindi lately,” Shehryar Afridi said addressing a press conference in Lahore after the court extended Rana Sanaullah’s judicial remand in narcotics case for 15 days, up to November 2. He said the IG Punjab should immediately provide security to witnesses as their lives were at risk.
He inquired that what the sources were of billions of rupees properties possessed by Sanaullah. He had only been buying and hadn’t sold anything, he added.
“When he was asked about his source of income he said he was a lawyer and had earned money through this profession while there’s no record of him in the judiciary,” he said adding that he had got nothing in inheritance. In 2013, the former law minister bought a four marla plot, he maintained.
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The state minister said witnesses and evidence were available against Sana. Court should allow the prosecutor to present evidence then the defence could argue on it, he said.
He said constitutionally, you could not criticize a uniform-wearing institution in the parliament as well, while the ANF was openly criticized by the suspect.
“The ANF is our international level organization. ANF’s performance is exemplary. An organization should not be blamed for one person’s mistake,” he said.
Shehryar said every evidence would be provided, once the trial was started. “I have been asking the chief justice to start the trial immediately.
“In evidence, we have the 15 kg heroine and weapons which were recovered while he was arrested as well as about two dozen witnesses.”
It would be the first trial of the country in which no witness had been summoned in the court, he said. Rana Sanaullah’s trial should be held on day-to-day basis, he demanded.
