- DPM’s resignation demand ‘completely baseless’: Sanaullah.
- Saying foreign women case is unnecessarily exaggerated.
- Two foreign women reached Lahore on June 29: Lahore YOU.
Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Sunday termed Senator Faisal Vawda’s demand for Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar’s resignation as “totally baseless” and alleged that efforts were being made to link the case of foreign women to the Deputy Prime Minister.
“Faisal Vawda’s demand for the deputy prime minister’s resignation is completely baseless,” Sanaullah said while speaking at Pakinomist news program ‘Naya Pakistan’.
The case came into limelight after a first information report (FIR) was registered at Lahore’s Defense C police station against five suspects, including Muhammad Raza Dar, identified as the grandson of a high-profile political bigwig, for the alleged kidnapping, extortion and sexual assault of two foreign nationals – a Spanish and a Dutch.
Referring to the alleged kidnapping and assault case involving two foreign women, Sanaullah said the case is “being exaggerated unnecessarily”, adding that attempts were being made to turn “a non-issue into an issue”.
Sanaullah further said that “attempts are being made to drag this case against Ishaq Dar.”
He said: “Every person is responsible for their own words and actions… a disgusting mindset highlights this case with a specific purpose.”
Sanaullah said the statements of the foreign women under Section 164 had been recorded and the investigating agency had complete evidence in the case.
He added that no further evidence was needed to file the challenge and proceed with the trial.
“The Section 164 declaration is sufficient to secure the conviction of the accused,” Sanaullah said, adding that the foreign women could be recalled to Pakistan if required.
CM orders to ensure profit in case of
Earlier in the day, Lahore Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Faisal Kamran said Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed the authorities to proceed with merit in the case involving the alleged kidnapping of two foreign women.
“The chief minister said that the case should be tried on merit and whoever committed the crime will be punished,” Faisal Kamran said while addressing a press conference in Lahore on Sunday.
Addressing the press, DIG Operations Kamran said the two foreign women arrived in Lahore on June 29 and were allegedly kidnapped soon after.
He said police launched an investigation after tracking the vehicle involved and examining its travel history through Safe City cameras. He said the vehicle was tracked while traveling via the highway to Sargodha, while raids were also conducted in Shahdara and Defense.
Kamran said the first ransom call was received on July 1 from a man identified as Carlos, who informed police that Spanish authorities had also been notified. He added that the Safe City Authority received a call on the emergency line the same day.
He said four suspects were arrested on July 2 after police traced phone numbers, vehicle details and location data.
According to a police officer, the women were later taken to the airport by suspect Raza Dar when an argument broke out near Bhatta Chowk. The vehicle crashed, the women jumped out and sought shelter in a filter house, where the police subsequently rescued them.
DIG Operations denied reports that the women had turned up on their own and said the women had stated that the Punjab Police rescued them.
“The statement of the foreign women is available and they said that the Punjab Police rescued them,” the police officer said.
Kamran said the statements were recorded in the presence of a judge and not under police supervision. After medical examinations and completion of the legal process, the women were allowed to leave the country.
He added that the embassy had requested the women’s early departure, but the police asked for one more day to record their statements.
“We asked them to give us one more day so that their statements could be recorded,” Kamran added.
DIG Operations also said that when a relative of a major political figure emerged as a suspect, senior officers were informed and the family was contacted to verify the information before further action was taken.
