Sana to be booked under ATA for hurling threats: Fawad

RAWALPINDI: Federal Minister Fawad Chaudhry Saturday announced that directions were being given for registration of a terrorism case against Pakistan Muslim League-N (PMLN) leader Rana Sanaullah for allegedly hurling threats at the government officers.

Talking to the media here during his visit to the injured police personnel at the District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ), he said Rana Sanaullah had threatened Punjab chief secretary, commissioner and other officers, and a case would be registered against him under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and the related laws for which instructions were being issued.

The minister said the tone of the PMLN leader was akin to that of Altaf Hussain, and the leaders of a religious outfit, currently under the spotlight. “And you have seen what happened to both,” added the minister.

He said that no one could be allowed to intimidate the government officers and their family members. “If he wants to do politics, he will have to stay within the limits of the Constitution and respect the law.”

The minister said Rana Sana seems interested in becoming the founder of MQM, Altaf Hussain. “If there’s insulting talk about institutions, or the officers are threatened and the institutions blackmailed, then there will surely be action,” he warned.

Fawad said politics must be within the limits of the Constitution and the law. If they wanted to take part in elections, that would have to be done accordingly.

Replying to questions, the minister said there was no plan to demolish any house in Jati Umra. “But it will not happen that they occupy the state land, and we do not do anything against it,” he added.

Action was being taken in the light of a report presented to the prime minister six to eight months back that certain MNAs had occupied the government land, including Khokhar brothers, who had occupied hundreds of kanals of land. Even non-political persons had done so because of political backing. The PM, he added, had ordered an inquiry into the matter.

Fawad said the Punjab government acted on the inquiry marked by the prime minister and the land worth billions was recovered from the illegal occupants. The Khokhar brothers had occupied the government land and built a palace. Senior members of the National Assembly including Danial Aziz were included in such people, he said.

Likewise, he pointed out that the government came to know that the government land was transferred in the name of an old woman in Jati Umra, who was ‘benamidar’ (anonymous); just her name was used and then the land was transferred in the name of Nawaz Sharif's mother. And it was the matter of open occupation, on which the Revenue Department declared that the land had been transferred illegally.

The minister continued that notices were served and the related procedure was being adopted to retrieve the land. He said the affected family had the right to challenge the process, and they had done so.

He said the government job was to investigate and then submit details before the courts. After that, it was up to the courts and other parties concerned, as there was no dictatorship in Pakistan. He agreed that too much time was consumed in dispensation of justice due to complexities.

Regarding Jahangir Tareen’s media talk, he said that it was not the first case of Jahangir Tareen. Babar Awan was the first to be accused in the PTI upon which he resigned and returned on bail. Also, Aleem Khan did the same, i.e. he resigned from his post and secured bail afterwards. The minister also referred to another case of a Punjab minister, Sibtain Khan.

Now, he continued, Jahangir Tareen would have to prove his innocence in the court. The government had no personal problem with him and he had no problem with the government, Fawad said, adding that hopefully Jahangir Tareen would fight his case in the court, and the proceedings would move forward in accordance with the Constitution and the law.

To another question, he agreed that the police force was poorly equipped and suggested to the questioner that that should be asked from the PPP and the PMLN, who had ruled the country for five years each in the last 10 years and spent Rs3 trillion. “They should be asked, where that huge amount was spent,” he added.

Earlier, he visited the DHQ Hospital and inquired about the injured police personnel. He said that he, PTI Secretary General Amir Kiyani and SAPM on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill were visiting the hospital on behalf of Prime Minister Imran Khan to inquire about the injured policemen’s health.

Meanwhile, Federal Minister Fawad Chaudhry said on Saturday that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government has no intention to impose a ban on social media.

Talking to a private news channel, Fawad said the incumbent government believes in freedom of expression and will continue to work for this purpose.

The minister said a defunct organisation was using social media services to spread provocative messages in the society and the concerned quarters had to take preemptive measures to control spread of objectionable material.