Daily Times

Minister for Narcotics Control Shehryar Khan Afridi Thursday said that Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has sufficient evidence against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah which will be presented in the court of law.

Addressing a press conference along with ANF Director General Major General Arif, he said that Rana Sanaullah was arrested by the ANF after receiving a lead from a person arrested from the Faisalabad airport. He said that movements of Rana Sanaullah were being observed for last several days, and that he (Rana Sanaullh) was not stopped by the ANF at three different occasions in recent days since female members of family were travelling with him. “We salute ANF which is a professional force and observed the values and norms of the society by not stopping Rana Sanaullah when he was travelling with female members of his family,” he said.

He said the ANF has all the evidence that is why it has not taken physical remand of Rana Sanaullah. “A to Z … all the evidences will be presented in the court of law,” he said. “The movement of the cars and their numbers will also be presented in the court,” he said. “But, at this stage, all the evidences cannot be shared with media as it will be dangerous for the family members of those cooperating with the ANF as people behind the smuggling are brutal and cruel,” he added.

The minister said that value of the drugs recovered from Rana Sanaullah is from Rs 150 million to Rs 160 million in the international market. He said that route of the drugs recovered from Rana Sanaullh was Faisalabad to Lahore and then to the international market. “This is not the issue of 15kg of heroin only, this is the issue of Pakistan’s image, dignity and sovereignty,” he added.

Afridi said the PTI government has zero tolerance against criminals and that law will come into force against everyone irrespective of his position or status. “No one is above the law … even the ministers and political leaders are answerable and accountable,” he said. “All the big fish will be brought to justice and made an example for others,” he said, adding that those who are talking about Rana Sanaullah should stay aware that nobody will be spared.

Major General Arif said the ANF is a professional and competent force and has a good repute locally and internationally. He said the ANF seized about 300 metric ton of drugs having value of four billion dollars in the international market during the last year. “Till June this year, over 100 metric tons of drugs valuing two billion dollars has been seized by the ANF. Due to efforts of ANF, Pakistan is enjoying poppy-free country status since 2001. This is an honor for the country that despite having border with Afghanistan, Pakistan has been declared a poppy-free country,” he added.

He said the amount earned through smuggling of drugs is being used for purchase of weapons and lawlessness. About Rana Sanaullh, he said the force will prove the case on the basis of evidence. He said it is not easy for the force to make any video during the arrest of a high-profile personality. “This was not possible for us to make a video as it was not shooting of a film,” he added.

The DG ANF said the force did not seek physical remand of Rana Sanaullah as it has sufficient evidence against him. He said anti-narcotics operation is being carried out across-the-board and the force has to net the big fish to purge the country of the menace.