Sana moves LHC against arrest warrant

Minister says judge passed order to ‘politically damage his position’, requests LHC to set aside ATC verdict

LAHORE:

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has challenged bailable arrest warrants issued by Judge Rana Zahid Iqbal of the ATC for allegedly threatening the judiciary and government officials in his public speeches in the Lahore High Court, claiming that the order was passed to politically maligned him.

A terrorism case was registered against the minister in August last year. The minister on Saturday requested the LHC to set aside the impugned order passed by the District & Sessions Judge of the Anti-Terrorism Court, Gujranwala Division on February 21, 2023.

The petitioner contended that one Shahkaz Aslam, who is his political opponent, got registered an FIR on August 25, 2022 under offences 7 of Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 and sections 353, 186, 189, 506 of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) at Police Station Industrial Estate Phase-II, District Gujrat in which another Respondent (Investigation Officer of the case) submitted before the court a cancellation/discharge report on August 25, 2022.

Read ATC issues arrest warrant for Sanaullah

The minister has argued that the FIR filed against him was done so by a political opponent and that the Investigation Officer had submitted a cancellation/discharge report on August 25, 2022. However, the court did not agree with the report and instead issued a bailable warrant for the minister's arrest.

The PML-N leader has contended that the impugned order was passed against the law and facts of the case. He has claimed that the order was the result of a non-exercise and wrong exercise of jurisdiction, and that a grave miscarriage of justice has been caused to him.

He has requested the court to set aside the impugned order and suspend the proceedings pending before the learned trial court until the final decision of the main criminal revision.

The case has attracted widespread attention as it involves a federal minister and an Anti-Terrorism Court. The court will now consider the petition filed by Rana Sanaullah and make a decision on whether to set aside the arrest warrant or to proceed with the case.