Hard hitting: ‘Sack Sanaullah, probe murder allegations’

Former Faisalabad mayor says several public representatives were on the law minister’s hit-list

FAISALABAD:

Former Faisalabad mayor Chaudhary Sher Ali on Saturday said Law Minister Rana Sanaullah should be sacked and investigated for his alleged involvement in 20 murders.

Addressing a gathering of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz workers, Ali said, “People like Sanaullah hinder good governance.”

Ali, father of State Minister of Water and Power Abid Sher Ali, said a man in custody had told police that he had killed 20 people at the behest of an SHO patronised by the law minister.

“Provincial Assembly Members (MPA) Malik Nawaz, Mian Muhammad Tahir Jameel, Irfan Manan and my son were on his hit-list,” Ali told the workers.

“It is unfortunate that such a powerful man should be behind so many killings,” he said.

Ali said the prime minister and the chief minister should immediately launch an inquiry against Sanaullah.

“If they do not investigate this matter now, they will suffer a set back,” he said.

He said such leaders should not be allowed to hold public office.

He said Sanaullah should be held accountable for his actions. “He has ruined the image of our government,” he added. He said a complaint against the law minister would be moved to the chief minister.”Our concerns should be taken seriously,” he said.

Ali urged Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif to launch an operation in Faisalabad to rid the city of criminals.

“I have told the prime minister that if killers are found within PML-N’s ranks, the government will lose credibility,” he said.

The meeting was also addressed by MPA Tahir Jameel, MPA Rao Kashif Rahim, MPA Raza Nasrullah Ghumman, MNA Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan, former mayor Malik Muhammad Ashraf, former MNA Mian Amjad Yaseen, former MPA Zeeshan Elahi, former MPA Chaudhary Shafiq Ahmad Gujjar and former MPA Khawaja Abdus Salam.

Sanaullah’s response

Talking to The Express Tribune, Sanaullah said Ali was not in a “stable state of mind.”

He said an investigation team had examined the claims of the suspect and had weighed the merits of his confession.

“The team found nothing incriminating against me,” he said.

“I have committed no crime nor am I involved in any such activity,” he said.

He said Ali’s allegations were “nothing but a bundle of lies.”

He said, “Most party leaders do not take him seriously. He likes to hold dramatic public meetings.”

Sanaullah said Ali had raised the issue so that he could control the local body elections.

“He will not be allowed to dictate terms of the local government elections.”

The law minister said he would raise the issue with the PML-N leadership so that action would be taken against Ali for violating party discipline.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 16^th, 2015.