A special narcotics court Tuesday fixed June 25 as the date to frame charges against Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah in the drug peddling case registered against him by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF). The judge also directed the quarters concerned to submit replies on Sanaullah’s plea seeking his bank accounts and properties to be unfrozen. The counsel was asked whether the accused were prepared, as the court intended to frame charges against them. The defense counsel argued that the charges be framed on the next date of hearing, as the interior minister will have to travel from Islamabad to Lahore. The prosecution initially resisted the plea, but later agreed to the court passing an appropriate order, says a news report. Earlier, the interior minister, also the PML-N Punjab President, had filed a plea seeking directions to the authorities concerned for unfreezing his four bank accounts frozen by the ANF on May 17. The application had contended that the petitioner was being subjected to political victimization, as he had been raising his voice on several issues. He maintained that he had been appearing before the ANF and any other forums where his appearance was required but his accounts had been frozen without any logic. He further argued that he had been granted bail by the Lahore High Court and had been appearing before the trial court. He also informed the court that the freezing of his bank accounts had disturbed his life, requesting the court to issue directives for restoration of his bank accounts. On July 1, 2019, Sanaullah was arrested by the ANF Lahore team while he was travelling from Faisalabad to Lahore near the Ravi Toll Plaza on the motorway, claiming to have seized 15kg heroin from his vehicle. A special team of the force had also arrested five others, including the driver and security guards of the PML-N leader.
According to the FIR registered by the ANF deputy director operations – under Sections 186,189 and 353 of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), while sections 15, 17 of 9C of the Control of Narcotic Substances Act (CNSA) 1997 – the ANF had received information that Rana Sanaullah was involved in drug smuggling and now was now taking heroin to Lahore. It is pertinent to note that Section 9(C) of the CNSA 1997 carries death penalty or life imprisonment or a jail term that may extend to 14 years, along with a fine of up to Rs1 million.
