ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Narcotics Control Shehryar Afridi has demanded that hearing into the narcotics case against PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah should be conducted on daily basis.
Addressing a news conference, he said the former Punjab law minister was a drug lord and there was sufficient evidence against him but the lives of witnesses were in danger.
He regretted that a media trial of the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) was conducted whenever a political drug dealer was arrested, saying it is an exceptional force working tirelessly against the drug mafia.
He said that Rana Sanaullah was caught red-handed with 15 kilograms of heroin and every evidence in this regard will be presented to the court when trial begins.
The Minister of State pleader to Chief Justice Lahore High Court to either shift Rana Sanaullah’s case to Rawalpindi or the trial be conducted in the prison for ensuring protection of the witnesses.
He also asked the Inspector General of Punjab to provide protection to the witnesses. He said the prosecution should be allowed to present evidence before the court.
Terming Sanaullah’s case as a test case, the state minister also played an alleged audio message from Sanaullah during the press conference as well.
“Evidence against the accused was presented in the court but the lives of our witnesses are in danger. I demand the case be shifted to Rawalpindi to protect the ANF witnesses and a daily trial should be allowed to be conducted in jail,” said Afridi.
He added that Sanaullah was openly targeting ANF personnel and that notice should be taken of the threats. He once again claimed they had evidence and witnesses against him.
He said the performance and sacrifices of the ANF have also been acknowledged by international organisations, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
