Shehryar Afridi distances himself from Sanaullah’s 2019 arrest, shifts responsibility on ANF

• ANF detained Sanaullah based on intelligence reports in 2019: Afridi.
• PTI leader denies subjecting Sanaullah to political victimisation.
• Afridi handed over to police on two-day physical remand in riots case.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shehryar Afridi has distanced himself from the arrest of Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah during his tenure as the narcotics control minister in 2019.

Responding to a question outside the district and sessions court in Islamabad on Saturday, the former minister said the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) headed by a major general detained Sanaullah during the previous PTI-led government on drugs charges.

“ANF arrested Rana Sanaullah based on intelligence reports. ANF had all evidence against Rana Sanaullah,” he added.

He denied subjecting Sanaullah to political victimisation during the last PTI government.

Sanaullah was arrested on July 01, 2019, by the ANF Lahore team near Ravi Toll Plaza on the motorway.

The ANF claimed to have recovered 15kg of heroin from his vehicle, while it arrested five others, including Sanaullah's driver and security guards.

Sanaullah remained incarcerated for six months until the Lahore High Court (LHC) granted him bail on December 24, 2019.

Subsequently, the incumbent interior minister was acquitted by a special court in Lahore in a drugs smuggling case filed in December last year.

Speaking about the defections in the PTI following May 9 vandalism, Afridi said he wouldn't say anything about those who are leaving the party.

“Only God knows under what circumstances people are leaving party,” he added.

Meanwhile, a sessions court in Islamabad handed over the PTI leader to police on two-day physical remand.

He was arrested following PTI chief Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9 over his alleged involvement in the riots that saw attacks on defence and public installations in many parts of the country.

The investigation officer had sought five-day physical remand of Afridi for photogrammetry and voice matching test.

Judicial Magistrate Naveed Khan announced the reserved verdict and approved two-day physical remand.