ATC summons Interior Minister Sanaullah through police

Irked by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah’s persistent absence from the hearings, an anti-terrorism court in Gujrat on Tuesday summoned the security czar through the police in a case related to threatening the judiciary and the government officials.

A case was filed at the Industrial police station against the minister in August, 2022 on a complaint of PML-Q leader Shahkaz Aslam for issuing threats to the then-Punjab chief secretary and his family members.

The interior minister, however, has been skipping the court’s proceedings for a long time. At the outset of today’s hearing, Sanaullah’s absence annoyed the court as the judge reprimanded his counsel and summoned the interior minister on July 25 through the police.

The court also ordered the police to ensure the interior minister’s appearance in the court on the next hearing and adjourned the proceedings till July 25.

The FIR

The case, filed during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government, has been registered under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (punishment for acts of terrorism), and sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 189 (threat of injury to public servant) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

It stated that the interior minister made these remarks on a TV show.

“The purpose of Sanaullah’s statements was to terrorise the judiciary, chief secretary, commissioner and people of the country,” the FIR added. “His aim was to stop the officials from working and prevent them from fulfilling their lawful responsibilities.”

The complainant alleged that the minister’s speeches had created fear in the judiciary, bureaucracy, police, administration and the nation. He demanded an investigation against the PML-N leader.