GUJRANWALA
\nInterior Minister Rana Sanaullah Tuesday was acquitted by an anti-terrorism court in a case involving threats to the Punjab chief secretary, his family, and other officers.
\nThe court issued the decision after the case\u2019s plaintiff altered their statement.
\nThe case was originally filed against the senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) politician at the Industrial Police Station in Gujranwala on August 25, 2022, after a complaint was lodged by Sheikh Shekaz Aslam, a leader from the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), citing threats made by Sanaullah.
\nAfter the court hearing, the minister spoke to journalists about fearlessly appearing before the judges, without resorting to any form of concealment such as using \u201cbuckets\u201d over one\u2019s head.
\n\u201cAll our leaders, including me, appeared in the courts,\u201d he said, adding that he hadn\u2019t informed anyone before coming to the court.
\nThe interior minister said neither he nor any of his party\u2019s members broke down doors of the court or stop judges from doing their work.
\n\u201cWe faced the law as a common man. We did not put buckets on our heads, nor did such dramas,\u201d he added.
\nEarlier in February, the ATC had also issued an arrest warrant to apprehend Sanaullah and asked the police to present him on March 7.
\nIn March, the minister requested an exemption from appearing at the court due to official engagements, but his request was turned down. The court then issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against him.
\nThe warrants were later suspended and instead directed him to submit surety bonds worth Rs100,000.<\/p>\n
The case
\nThe case against the senior PML-N politician was 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.
\nIt stated that the interior minister made threatening remarks on a TV show.
\n\u201cThe purpose of Sanaullah\u2019s statements was to terrorise the judiciary, chief secretary, commissioner and people of the country,\u201d the FIR added. \u201cHis aim was to stop the officials from working and prevent them from fulfilling their lawful responsibilities.\u201d
\nThe complainant alleged that the minister\u2019s speeches had created fear in the judiciary, bureaucracy, police, administration and the nation. He demanded an investigation against the PML-N leader.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
GUJRANWALA Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Tuesday was acquitted by an anti-terrorism court in a case involving threats to the Punjab chief secretary, his family, and other officers. The court issued the decision after the case\u2019s plaintiff altered their statement. The case was originally filed against the senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) politician at the Industrial […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":263671,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[1446],"class_list":{"0":"post-345396","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news","8":"tag-rana-sanaullah"},"yoast_head":"\n