Sanaullah says will not allow case against him to proceed till video proof is presented

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanuallah on Saturday said he will not allow the drug case against him to proceed until the alleged video against him is presented, Geo News reported. 

Speaking to reporters outside a special court, the former Punjab law minister said the government was being 'exposed' over the case. 

“The government is being exposed because it is not allowing the real facts to come in front of the public," he said.

The PML-N leader further urged that an open trial of the case should be conducted. “Until and unless an open trial is held, we will not let the case proceed at all,” he said.

Sanaullah also questioned where the alleged video was. “If the video is present, then it should be presented in court. This case will not move forward until the video is presented in court.”

Was granted bail in a fake case after six months, won't accept it as justice: Rana Sanaullah

Without naming State Minister for Narcotics Shehryar Afridi, Sanaullah said that if the alleged video had also been shown to Prime Minister Imran Khan, why was it not being brought in front of the public?

“We will not accept the charge sheet until the video is presented in court,” he asserted.

The PML-N leader also shared that the National Accountability Bureau had asked to submit all the details in the next two weeks.

Responding to a question about the Pakistan Army (Amendment Act), the PML-N leader said it was important to follow the parliamentary procedure and that there was no need to hurry when it came to the bill.

Drug possession charge

Sanaullah was arrested by Anti Narcotic Force (ANF) officials on July 1 from Faisalabad while he was on his way to a meeting. ANF claimed the former Punjab law minister was in possession of 15 kilogrammes of heroin when he was arrested.

Read also: Rana Sanaullah says changes in NAB law a bid to 'protect' govt

The Lahore High Court, after releasing Sanaullah on bail, had raised several questions in its detailed verdict on the way the probe was conducted. The court questioned why, even though the former provincial minister was accused of operating a narcotics trafficking network, the ANF never sought his physical remand to investigate that allegation.

The court further questioned why formal documentary proceedings of the seizure of narcotics were not conducted at the time of arrest, and why a sample of only 20 grams of the heroin recovered was sent for testing when the seized quantity was a much higher 15kg.

The judgement also gave some weight to the 'political victimsation' argument made by Sanaullah when considering his bail application.