Gujranwala: Home Minister Rana Sanaullah was on Tuesday acquitted by the Anti-Terrorism Court in the case of threatening Punjab Chief Secretary, his family and other officials.
The court issued this decision after changing the plaintiff’s statement in the case.
The case was originally filed against the senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) politician on August 25, 2022 at Gujranwala’s Industrial Police Station following a complaint by Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Sheikh Shikaz Aslam citing threats made by Sanaullah.
After the court hearing, the minister spoke to reporters about fearlessly appearing before judges, without any form of concealment such as using “buckets” on one’s head.
He said that all our leaders including me appeared in the courts.
The interior minister said that neither he nor any member of his party broke the door of the court or prevented the judges from working.
“We faced the law like a common man. We didn’t put buckets on our heads and didn’t do such dramas,” he added.
Earlier in February, the ATC had also issued an arrest warrant for Sanaullah and asked the police to produce him on March 7.
In March, the minister requested an exemption from attending the court due to official engagements, but his request was rejected. The court then issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against him.
The warrant was later suspended and he was instead directed to submit surety bonds of Rs 100,000.
Case
The case against the senior PML-N politician was registered under Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) and Sections 353 (assault or criminal force to prevent a public servant from performing his duty), 186 (obstructing public servants from performing public duties), 189 (threatening to cause injury to a public servant) of the Anti-Terrorism Act. Code
It said that the Home Minister had made threatening remarks on a TV show.
The FIR further stated that ‘Sanaullah’s statements were intended to intimidate the judiciary, the chief secretary, the commissioner and the people of the country’. “It was intended to prevent officials from working and to prevent them from fulfilling their legal obligations.”
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.
