Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar calls tactic criminal ploy to divert attention as case referred to home committee
Former Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf addresses a meeting of the National Assembly on May 20, 2026. SCREENGRAB
Former prime minister and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Raja Pervez Ashraf told the National Assembly (NA) on Wednesday that he had led a “spotless life” after drug kingpin Pinky allegedly named him during a court appearance, an incident he described as an attempt at character assassination.
On May 18, drug queen Anmol alias Pinky reiterated allegations of pressure to name certain people, including Ashraf, saying she was instructed to implicate them. Pinky, who is accused of running one of the city’s most organized drug supply networks, was arrested on May 12 during a joint operation by the city police and a civilian agency at an apartment in the Garden area.
Addressing the House, Ashraf said a clip had gone viral on social media showing the woman mentioning his name during the trial. Within half an hour, however, another clip emerged in which her lawyers explained that when she went to court she had been pressured to name him.
“By the grace of God, I have lived a spotless life,” Ashraf told the house. “I have been a member of this house for the fourth time. I have remained Prime Minister of this country and Speaker of the National Assembly.”
Ashraf said he was initially unsure of what connection he might have to the case, but noted that after the clarification emerged, several stories began circulating on social media with vloggers and commentators weighing in on the incident.
He thanked NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq for taking immediate notice of the matter and also expressed gratitude to his party leadership, family members and especially his political opponents. “I am also grateful to all my friends, family members and especially my political opponents who acknowledged this issue and openly said that this is not correct in any way,” he said.
Terming it false and sensational, Ashraf said, “Such attempts to defame anyone or to achieve any other motive must be stopped.”
Read: Sindh IG says probe into Pinky’s drug network widened as she named ‘certain personalities’
Ashraf said he believed the woman had been used to divert attention from her own case. “This woman had previously taken the name of another personality and I believe this was done to divert attention so that the focus could be shifted elsewhere, or to gain benefits, or to divert the matter in another direction or to create discord among people,” he said.
The former prime minister used the occasion to call for legislation against media lawsuits and unverified allegations and requested Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar to look into the matter. “No person, whether politician or ordinary citizen, should face media trial or character assassination until the allegations are proven. Every citizen is innocent until proven guilty under the law,” he said.
“My only request is that no one should be vilified for no reason because I know that this incident had no basis at all,” he said.
Furthermore, the former prime minister requested the speaker to establish a system “so that until the investigation is completed, until the investigation is completed, until the case reaches the court, all kinds of comments on such matters should not be made because they are not only harmful to the society but also tantamount to tarnishing the honor of respectable people”.
Ashraf also pointed to his own experience, saying he had previously endured what he described as a motivated case in which he was honorably acquitted but suffered years of reputational damage. “I always say the 10 years that his reputation was destroyed, how are you going to restore that honor?” he said.
He also directed scathing remarks at vloggers “and others who, for the sake of ratings, use misleading headlines and content” to reflect on the practice. “Maybe they make a few bucks off it, but in my opinion it’s a serious failure,” he said.
Ashraf said that everyone should think together about this matter, that the guilty should be punished.
Expressing solidarity with Ashraf, Speaker Sadiq told the house that everyone knew his dignity, honesty and way of dealing with colleagues. “I think no one should doubt this,” Sadiq said, adding that the reality of the matter had become clear after a phone call in Ashraf’s presence the day before.
Read more: Probe completed on additional protocol for Pinky
Tarar, on the speaker’s invitation, spoke on the matter. Drawing on his three decades as a criminal lawyer, he said the tactic of naming prominent figures was a well-known criminal ploy.
“These clever criminals usually use such tactics to take the names of various famous people and try to connect so that all the attention is diverted to it and the attention is distracted from the case,” he said.
Tarar assured the House that the government would inquire why the woman’s lawyer had made the statement and whether it was based on reality. “If it was based on reality, then that investigating officer must be brought to task,” he said, adding that the matter would be reported back to the house.
Tarar also announced that instructions would be issued to the Superintendent of Police that there was no need to telecast the suspect before the court for remand. “She should be brought to court, in a cordoned off area, whatever has to be said should be presented in court, in a closed room,” he said.
The matter was referred to the Interior Committee.
