‘Prosecution can withhold record from media’

LAHORE: The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF)’s prosecutor informed the Anti-Narcotics Court as well as the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), during case proceedings of PML-N Punjab President Rana Sanaullah on Saturday that prosecution was not bound to provide a record of someone’s statement if it is given on media.

The proceedings of Sanaullah revolved around the production of CCTV footage which the prosecution Federal Minister Shaharyar Afridi claimed. At one stage, the ANF prosecutor had to make it clear after the constant emphasis of Sanaullah’s counsel Advocate Syed Farhad Ali Shah who sought CCTV footage which the federal minister had claimed in a press conference.

Meanwhile, the Anti-Narcotics Court judge also rejected the ANF’s request for running day to day proceedings of accused PML-N Punjab president owing to the lack of facilities in his court.

Sanaullah’s lawyers have been lingering on the case so the court has been requested to run the day to day proceedings, said the ANF prosecutor.

Judge Shakir Hassan responded that he could not run the day to day proceedings as no stenographer of his court had been appointed yet by the law ministry. “I adjourn the cases on daily bases owing to the non-availability of the stenographer,” remarked the judge.