Sana seeks guarantees before allowing PTI’s march

Interior minister asks Rashid to take back statement about march turning 'bloody', apologise to govt

LAHORE:

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Saturday asked his former counterpart Sheikh Rashid to assure the government that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s long march, the date for which is yet to be announced, would remain peaceful.

The minister's demand came following Rashid’s earlier remarks stating that the march "could turn bloody".

Talking to the media persons in Lahore, Sanaullah alleged that the PTI was trying to set the stage to create anarchy in the country by threatening to lead a “bloody” march on the federal capital. He demanded an apology from Rashid as well as retracting his statement regarding the march.

“If you do not assure the government that this will be a peaceful march, I will not let you leave your house,” Sanaullah warned.

Earlier this week, Rashid had warned the federal government that a long march against delay in the general elections, if held, could turn bloody, and a solution to the worsening situation should emerge before May 31.

"If the general elections are scheduled for a time prior to May 31, I can talk to Imran Khan [to postpone the march]," the Awami Muslim League chief had said.

‘Imran set up amnesty for Farah’

The interior minister said that former prime minister Imran Khan had become Farah Gogi Khan’s lawyer and had set up an amnesty scheme for her.

He said the allegations against Farah were under investigation and subsequent action would be taken against her.

“We will bring her back to Pakistan with a red warrant if we must,” the minister declared.
He alleged that former Punjab chief Usman Buzdar was only a chief minister in name, "the province's actual chief was Farah Khan".

Sanaullah said that Imran was misleading people and workers, and making them ill-mannered.
“For the last time, I will tell Imran Khan that if he does not stop his actions then he will have to face their consequences himself,” he stated. In an apparent reference to the Madina incident, the interior minister stated, "The party supporters will react in exactly the same way if anyone is misbehaved with anywhere."

Read Long march in last week of May: Imran

Earlier this week, it was reported that the relevant authorities had decided to bring back Farah Gogi from Dubai after she was charged with corruption during the tenure of the previous government.

They decided to initiate legal proceedings against her, but her presence was required for interrogation. They believe that she acted as the “front person” of former prime minister Imran Khan and wanted to know the facts from her.

Drugs case

Earlier in the day, the Lahore district and sessions court resumed hearing in the drugs case filed against Sanaullah by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF).

The prosecutor said that possessing drugs was illegal and that the case challan had been prepared, adding that the ANF had the chemical examination report, 15 witnesses and forensic evidence against the accused persons.

He pleaded that the accused persons should now be indicted.
“Forensic and documentary evidence against the accused corroborates the chemical analysis report,” the prosecutor shared, stressing that at the level of guilt, not all the evidence could be ignored.

“Amir Rustam and other accused smuggled drugs along with Rana Sanaullah,” he added.

Meanwhile, the counsel for Syed Farhad Ali Shah submitted an application requesting permanent exemption from appearing in the court due to his engagements as a federal minister.

The court issued a notice to the ANF, seeking further arguments from the lawyers of the three co-accused in the case. The court adjourned the hearing till May 21.

On July 1, 2019, Sanaullah was arrested by the ANF Lahore team while he was travelling from Faisalabad to Lahore near the Ravi Toll Plaza on the motorway, claiming to have seized 15kg of heroin from his vehicle. A special team of the force had also arrested five others, including the driver and security guards of the PML-N leader.

The FIR was lodged under Section 9(C) of the Control of Narcotic Substances Act 1997, which carries death penalty or life imprisonment or a jail term that may extend to 14 years, along with a fine of up to Rs1 million.