Shehbaz says Rana Sanaullah arrested to divert attention from oppressive budget
Shehbaz Sharif, the PML-N president, said his party peer Rana Sanaullah was arrested in order to divert attention from oppressive budget
July 02, 2019
LAHORE: The leader of the Opposition in National Assembly, Shehbaz Sharif, said Tuesday his party peer Rana Sanaullah was arrested a day prior in order to divert the public's attention from the oppressive budget presented last month.
Sharif, also the president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), said Sanaullah's arrest is "injustice, oppression, and [use of] force".
"Imran Niazi had Rana Sanaullah arrested in order to divert the public's attention from the oppressive budget and the ongoing strikes," he said, using the incumbent premier's last name instead of the popular 'Khan'.
"The PML-N members who met [Prime Minister] Imran Khan will be questioned," the party leader said. "A committee has been set up and we are sending notice to them."
High-level PML-N meeting on Sanaullah' arrest
The PML-N president summoned a high-level party huddle earlier today to consult members over political developments in light of the recent arrest of Sanaullah.
The party's senior leadership was directed to meet at Sharif's Model Town residence to devise strategies and a future course of action. Sources privy to the development said the PML-N would also look into the recent arrests of other Opposition leaders as well.
Sanaullah was sent to prison on a 14-day judicial remand by a narcotics court in Lahore early in the morning. The development came following his arrest by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) after the discovery of a large stash of contraband a day prior.
Sanaullah is a member of the National Assembly (MNA) and president of the PML-N's Punjab wing. He was said to have been arrested in a drug-related case, with the ANF officials telling Geo News he was arrested while travelling with his guards to a meeting from Faisalabad to Lahore.
An ANF (Lahore) spokesperson had told Geo News that a case was being filed in accordance with the Control of Narcotics Substances Act, 1997, after a large stash of contraband was recovered from his vehicle.
Riaz Soomro, the spokesperson, had said Sanaullah was arrested in light of numerous proofs.
