Islamabad: A special court of the Control of Narcotics Substance in Lahore acquitted Interior Minister Rana Sanullah in a narcotics case relating to possession of 15kg heroin filed against him during the tenure of the Imran Khan government in 2019.
The minister was arrested in Lahore on July 1, 2019 by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) that had claimed recovery of 15kg of heroin from Rana’s vehicle.
However, as the case proceeded the ANF failed to produce any solid evidence against Rana Sanaullah despite the claims of the then Interior Minister Sheheryar Afridi that he had all the proof.
Prime witnesses retract statement
In the last hearing, the prime witnesses and the ANF officers retracted their statements after which the court acquitted Rana Sanaullah and others in the heroin smuggling case.
The two officials, who were made recovery witnesses in this case by the prosecution, including the force’s Assistant Director Imtiaz Ahmed Cheema and Inspector Ehsaan Azam, appeared before the court.
According to their statements they were present at the Ravi Toll Plaza Lahore on July 1, 2019, when Sanaullah was arrested. They stated that they never saw any sort of drug being recovered from the custody of Rana Sana and others.
They also claimed that they were made witnesses in this case without their knowledge and that they could not support the case made by the prosecution.
Subsequently, the court acquitted the interior minister and all the other people named in the case.
Imran’s ministers raised doubts
Former ministers in ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cabinet Fawad Chaudhry and Asad Umar had also raised their doubts over the authenticity of the case. Fawad Chaudhry had even expressed his opposition to registering a baseless case against a political opponent.
Sanaullah grateful to supporting voices
Rana Sanaullah after Saturday’s verdict of the court, expressed his gratitude to everyone who “raised their voice during that dark time and stood by me.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also welcomed the court’s verdict saying “all PML-N leaders targeted by Niazi regime”, Sanaullah’s case was the “worst example of political persecution with the most dangerous repercussions,” said the prime minister in a tweet. “He braved these heinous charges and repression with patience and remained steadfast. He is an inspiration for all political workers,” he further said.
Vindicated
Minister Planning, Development & Special Initiative Ahsan Iqbal also greeted the interior minister on being “vindicated”.
Speaking to media outside the court, Sanaullah asserted that it was the right of his party to get all false cases quashed. “Even the cases against our leadership lodged abroad are being dismissed,” he said.
