GUJRANWALA: A Judicial Magistrate in Gujranwala issued a non-bailable arrest warrant on Saturday for Rana Sanaullah, a senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs, citing his repeated absence from court proceedings in a 2020 case.
Magistrate Sidra Gul Nawaz has ordered his arrest and appearance in court on December 12.
This case against Sanaullah has its roots back to the 16th of October 2020 when an FIR was registered at Satellite Town Police Station in Gujranwala. The charges were not against Sanaullah personally but were specifically attached to a public meeting by the Pakistan Democratic Movement, an amalgamation of opposition parties during the time. The FIR states that Sanaullah broke the barriers and drove his vehicle over police personnel during that protest.
However, the same case was acquitted of PML-N leaders Khurram Dastagir Khan, Imran Khalid Butt, and Salman Khalid Butt. Police registered the first report under Section 173 of the Criminal Procedure Code stating Sanaullah was innocent.
The police report was subsequently rejected by the court that insisted his appearance in person. He has still failed to show up despite numerous summons prompting the issuance of a non-bailable warrant.
This rekindles the debates about the accountability of political figures and their high-profile legal proceedings. The former interior minister has not yet made any comment regarding this latest court order. According to legal experts, the forthcoming actions will play a vital role in the case stays in court.
On the other hand, this judgment by the Gujranwala court also manifests the jurisdictional will to hold deterrent proceedings under the law against all individuals regardless of the political weightage of the same. The police have been told to ensure Rana Sanaullah’s court production on the specified date. the stipulated date.
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