- PPP leader says Pinky mentioned his name on May 18.
- urges cases not to be made public until the investigation is complete.
- Law Minister repeats that NA stands with senior PPP leader.
Former Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has said he is “shocked” after alleged drug kingpin Anmol alias Pinky mentioned his name during a court hearing.
Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly on Wednesday, Ashraf – who is also a senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader – said a video clip surfaced on May 18 in which the alleged drug dealer mentioned his name.
“I was shocked to hear which Raja Pervaiz Ashraf she was referring to,” he told the lower house of parliament, adding that the woman later said she was forced to make the allegation.
The former prime minister requested that such matters not be published or shared on social media until the investigation is complete.
He said every Pakistani has the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty after due process.
Reacting to Ashraf’s remarks, NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq asked Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar whether cyber crime authorities should take action against what he described as false propaganda.
Here the law minister reiterated that the house stood with the senior PPP leader.
Pinky, accused of running a drug network, was arrested from his flat in Karachi’s garden area. However, the suspect denied the claim and claimed that she was detained in Lahore for 15 days before being transferred to Karachi.
In addition to drugs, the suspect is also charged with murder and is currently in police custody with physical custody.
On Tuesday, Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Javed Alam Odho said more prominent names could emerge during the investigation into the Pinky case and urged citizens to cooperate with the authorities in the drive against drug trafficking.
Addressing a press conference in Karachi, the Sindh police chief said a task force was being set up and asked the public to come forward and testify in court.
IGP Odho also said that several cases had already been registered against Pinky, including those of the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), adding that many people associated with the drug business could be identified during the investigation.
