ISLAMABAD: Former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Thursday vowed to file a reference in the Supreme Court against Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah for his alleged involvement in “criminal activities, including murders”.

Talking to journalists, Mr Ahmed said that in a video clip, a former Station House Officer, who mostly served in Faisalabad, the hometown of the interior minister, had accused Mr Sanaullah of having been involved in the murder of his friend. The SHO said Mr Sanaullah had also tried to kill him.

“I will present the SHO’s video statement before the Supreme Court,” Sheikh Rashid said.

Mr Ahmed said that a leader of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Abid Sher Ali, and his father had also previously claimed that Mr Sanaullah was involved in the targeted killing of at least 18 people.

Mr Ahmed, who is president of Awami Muslim League (AML), said he wanted to offer court arrest during the PTI’s forthcoming public meeting in Faisalabad on May 15, but PTI Chairman Imran Khan had stopped him from doing so.

Says he is trying to remove ‘misunderstanding’ between Imran and establishment

The former minister did not elaborate as to why he wanted himself to be arrested.

The AML leader said Mr Sanaullah was also involved in the illicit drug business in Faisalabad.

In reply to a question, Mr Ahmed claimed that Imran Khan had become more popular since his ouster from the government.

He said the PTI had planned several public meetings in different parts of the country and the main rally would be held in Islamabad at the end of May.

He said PML-N-led coalition government could collapse anytime if its allied parties decided to leave the government.

Mr Ahmed said he was trying to remove “misunderstanding” between Imran Khan and the establishment.

About the arrest of his nephew, Rashid Shafique, on charges of provoking the people in Madina against PM Shehbaz Sharif’s delegation, Mr Ahmed asserted that Mr Shafique had not been involved in the incident, as he was not present at the holy mosque of Madina when the incident took place.

Soon after the incident, Mr Shafique released a video statement from the mosque that went viral. In that video, he elaborated what happened to some federal ministers when they had been taunted and thrashed by an unruly crowd.

“When Saudi authorities allowed my nephew to fly to Pakistan after finding him innocent, he was arrested when he had arrived in Pakistan,” he added.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2022