Rana Sanaullah Explained

Office:39th Interior Minister of Pakistan
Term Start:19 April 2022
Term End:10 August 2023
1Blankname:Prime Minister
1Namedata:Shehbaz Sharif
2Blankname:President
2Namedata:Arif Alvi
3Blankname:Preceded by
3Namedata:Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad
Office1:Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan
Term Start1:13 August 2018
Term End1:10 August 2023
Constituency1:NA-106 Faisalabad-VI
Office2:Provincial Minister of Punjab for Law and Parliamentary Affairs
Term Start2:11 June 2013
Term End2:31 May 2018
1Blankname2:Chief Minister
1Namedata2:Shehbaz Sharif
Term Start4:3 July 2008
Term End4:20 March 2013
1Blankname4:Chief Minister
1Namedata4:Shehbaz Sharif
Office9:Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Provincial Assembly of Punjab
Term Start9:2002
Term End9:2007
1Blankname9:Speaker Assembly
1Namedata9:Chaudhry Muhammad Afzal Sahi
2Blankname9:Leader of the Opposition
2Namedata9:Qasim Zia
Term Start10:1990
Term End10:1993
1Blankname10:Speaker Assembly
1Namedata10:Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo
2Blankname10:Leader of the Opposition
2Namedata10:Rana Ikram Rabbani
Office11:Member of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab
Term Start11:1 June 2013
Term End11:31 May 2018
Constituency11:PP-70 Faisalabad-XX
Term Start12:3 July 2008
Term End12:20 March 2013
Constituency12:PP-70 Faisalabad-XX
Term Start13:25 November 2002
Term End13:17 November 2007
Constituency13:PP-70 Faisalabad-XX
Term Start14:18 February 1997
Term End14:12 October 1999
Constituency14:PP-59 Faisalabad
Term Start15:5 November 1990
Term End15:28 June 1993
Constituency15:PP-59 Faisalabad
Rana Sanaullah
Birth Date:1 January 1955
Birth Place:Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan
Nationality:Pakistani
Party:Pakistan Muslim League (N) (1993-present)
Otherparty:Pakistan Peoples Party (1988-1993)
Relations:Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry (cousin)
Birth Name:Rana Sanaullah Khan
Native Name Lang:ur
Succeeded:Sarfraz Bugti
Succeeded1:Nisar Ahmad Jutt
Predecessor1:Nisar Ahmad Jutt

Rana Sanaullah Khan (Urdu: {{nq|رانا ثناء اللہ; born 1 January 1955) is a Pakistani lawyer and politician who is currently serving as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs since April 2024. Previously, he was served as the 39th Interior Minister of Pakistan in first Shehbaz Sharif's Government. He is second most popular official in Shehbaz Sharif Government.[1] He been a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from August 2018 till August 2023. He is a senior member of PML-N and the President of PML-N in Punjab province[2] since 4 May 2019. Before getting elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan, Sanaullah had been elected to the Provincial Assembly of Punjab five times and had served in high-ranking ministries of the province.

Previously, he has served as the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister of Punjab from 2008 to 2018, Local Governments and Community Development Minister of Punjab from 2008 to 2014, Revenue Minister of Punjab from 2008 to 2013, Public Prosecution Minister of Punjab from 2008 to 2013, and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Punjab) from 1990 to 1993 and again from 2002 to 2007.

Early life and education

Rana Sanaullah Khan was born on 1 January 1955 to Sher Muhammad Khan into a Punjabi Rajput family, and is a practicing lawyer, holding a bachelor's degree in commerce from Government College, Faisalabad and an LLB from Punjab Law College, Lahore.[3]

He's a cousin of former Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.[4]

Political career

Pakistan People's Party

Rana Sanaullah was elected to the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab as a candidate of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in 1990 Pakistani general election.[5] [6] [7]

Pakistan Muslim League (N)

He was re-elected to the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab as a[8] candidate of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N) in 1997 Pakistani general election.[9] [10]

He was re-elected to the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab from PP-70 (Faisalabad-XX) as a candidate of (PML-N) in 2002 Pakistani general election. He was also elected[11] [12] as the leader of opposition of the Punjab Provincial Assembly.[13] In 2003, he was abducted by alleged intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and was badly tortured for speaking against military regime.[14] [15] [16] Different pictures published in different newspaper showed Rana without his signature moustache and a shaved head. His acquaintances claim that the torture resulted in such an everlasting effect that interrupted the natural process of hair growth and since then his hair didn't grow that bushy as they were before.[17] When freed, he was subsequently shifted to DHQ hospital.[17] [18] [19]

He was re-elected to the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab from PP-70[20] (Faisalabad-XX) as a candidate of (PML-N) in 2008 Pakistani general election.[21] [22] [23]

He was re-elected to the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab from PP-70 (Faisalabad-XX) as a candidate of (PML-N) in 2013 Pakistani general election.[24] [25]

He was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan from NA-106 (Faisalabad-VI) as a candidate of (PML-N) in 2018 Pakistani general election.[26]

He ran the 2024 Pakistani General Election from NA-100 on PML-N Party ticket but was unsuccessful he received 11,2639 votes against Dr Nisar Ahmed Jutt, an independent candidate received 13,1941 votes.[27] [28] [29] [30] [31]

Interior Minister

After dissolution Government of Imran Khan through a no-confidence motion Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed down as Interior Minister.[32] [33] On 17 April 2022, he was appointed as Federal Interior Minister of Pakistan in Shehbaz Sharif's cabinet.[34] [35] [36] [37] [38]

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs

On April 2024, the current President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari appoints him as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs.[39] [40] [41] [42] [43]

Political controversies

Alleged links with militant organizations

Salman Taseer, the Governor of Punjab who was himself assassinated in 2011 by Mumtaz Qadri, a militant Islamist, before his death accused the PML-N in general and Rana Sanaullah in particular of entertaining links with militant organizations such as the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), a group known to use violence against Pakistan's religious minorities, especially the Shi'as. Observers note that Taseer's security at the time of his death was in the hands of the PML-N, Shehbaz Sharif being the Chief Minister of the province while Rana Sanaullah was the Law Minister.[44]

Rana Sanaullah met SSP's leader Maulana Ahmed Ludhianvi in February 2010, in his capacity as Law Minister and PML-N leader, arguing that the SSP "had a vast following and vote-bank and that its support made political sense", eventually justifying the electoral alliance between the PML-N and SSP.[45] Christophe Jaffrelot goes further, saying that it's not only about political alliance for Rana Sanaullah but also ideological affinities, as during that campaign he "showed devotion to SSP heroes", having paid respect at the tombs of Haq Nawaz Jhangvi and Azam Tariq.[46]

Warren Weinstein

In August 2011, he accused an American contractor in Pakistan Warren Weinstein of being an American spy although Weinstein had lived in Pakistan for seven years and there was no evidence that he was a spy. Weinstein went missing a week later and was accidentally killed in a January 2015 US drone strike on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, as announced by U.S. President Barack Obama at a White House press conference on April 23, 2015.[47] [48]

Model Town incident

See main article: 2014 Lahore clash. On 17 June 2014, Punjab Police raided the Minhaj-ul-Quran International's Lahore secretariat on the pretext of removing security barriers from its surroundings. Tahir-ul-Qadri's followers, who were preparing for his arrival from Canada to launch an anti-government movement on 23 June 2014, protested and deadly skirmishes started. A dozen of Tahir-ul-Qadri's devotees were killed including three women and around hundred got seriously wounded from bullet shots.[49] [50] [51] Rana Sanaullah, who is considered only second to the Chief Minister, remained adamant that the police action was justified which added to the public fury.[52]

In the wake of public reaction and opposition's criticism, Shahbaz Sharif sacked Rana Sanaullah as Law Minister, and Punjab's top bureaucrat.[53] However, Qadri and other opposition leaders including Imran Khan held Shahbaz Sharif, Chief Minister of Punjab, responsible for the civilian deaths at the hands of police and demanded his resignation.[54] FIR of Model Town tragedy was registered against key figures of the present government including the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister and Rana Sanaullah.[55]

A joint-investigation-team (JIT) was later formed to investigate the incident. The government led JIT he was sworn in as Punjab Law Minister again in May 2015.[56]

However no conclusive actions has been taken regarding the incident.

Narcotics case

When Sanaullah was travelling from Faisalabad to Lahore in July 2019, the Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) Lahore team detained him close to the Ravi Toll Plaza on the highway. Under Section 9(C) of the Control of Narcotic Substances Act of 1997, which contains the death penalty, life in prison, or a sentence that may last up to 14 years in jail, as well as a fine of up to Rs1 million, a first information report was filed.[57] [58] [59] [60]

According to the First Information Report (FIR), Sanaullah was allegedly involved in drug trafficking and was transporting heroin to Lahore. This information had been provided to the force. He was twice denied bail by the trial court, but on December 24, 2019, the Lahore High Court granted him liberty.[61] [62] [63] [64]

Sanaullah's plea

Sanaullah claimed on 10 December 2022 that the case against him was "concocted, designed, and created" after the multiple hearings. In the name of justice, equity, and fair play, he pleaded with the court to drop the charges against him. Sanaullah's lawyer informed the court that "Sanaullah had nothing to do with narcotics" and that "the case was a political ploy." He added that there were contradictions between the witness testimony and the camera footage.[65] [66] [67] [68]

Imtiaz Ahmed, Assistant Director of the ANF, and Inspector Ehsaan Azam rejected the accusations against him during the final hearing, calling them "false."[57] Along with other petitioners, Sanaullah asserted that this was an instance of political victimization. They said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry had explicitly stated that this case had not been filed during the administration of ousted primer minister Imran Khan and had instead been brought by "influential people" in the country.[69] [70] [71]

Acquittal in narcotics case

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah was exonerated on December 10, 2022, by a special court in Lahore following multiple hearings and his submission of a plea.[69] [72] [73] [74]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hussain . Abid . ‘He running a gang?’: Pakistan minister slammed for Khan remarks . 2024-07-21 . Al Jazeera . en.
  2. Web site: Provincial Officials – PMLN . 2022-03-01 . en-US.
  3. Web site: 13 January 2012 . Rana Sanaullah . https://web.archive.org/web/20240212073725/https://www.dawn.com/news/687812/rana-sanaullah . 12 February 2024 . . He hails from a Rajput family. A practicing lawyer, he holds bachelors in commerce from Government College, Faisalabad and an LLB from Punjab Law College, Lahore..
  4. http://tribune.com.pk/story/307660/pa-puts-aside-agenda-to-accommodate-political-wrangling/ CJP favours PML-N because of cousin Rana Sanaullah
  5. Web site: Pak Minister Says Imran Khan Failed To Prove Assassination Claim: Report . 2024-07-20 . NDTV.com.
  6. Web site: "Imran Khan Will Be Tried In Military Court": Pakistan Minister . 2024-07-20 . NDTV.com.
  7. Web site: Imran Khan Arrested Inside Court, Whisked Away By Paramilitary Personnel . 2024-07-20 . NDTV.com.
  8. News: 2023-08-07 . Pakistan's former Finance Minister Hafeez Sheikh among candidates shortlisted for caretaker PM: Sanaullah . 2024-07-20 . The Economic Times . 0013-0389.
  9. Web site: "Enough Is Enough": Pakistan PM Asks Parliament To Act Against Imran Khan . 2024-07-20 . NDTV.com.
  10. Web site: "Either Imran Khan Will Get Murdered Or...": Pak Minister's Shocker . 2024-07-20 . NDTV.com.
  11. News: 2023-08-12 . Dispute growing in Pakistan over authenticity of source document of US media report on diplomatic cable . 2024-07-20 . The Economic Times . 0013-0389.
  12. Web site: 2023-05-13 . Is Imran Khan to be arrested again? Pak Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah's controversial statements on 'ladla' . 2024-07-20 . WION . en-us.
  13. Web site: Punjab Assembly - Members - Members' Directory. www.pap.gov.pk.
  14. Web site: 2023-02-06 . 'He will be arrested...': Pakistan's interior minister issues warning to PTI chief Imran Khan . 2024-07-20 . WION . en-us.
  15. Web site: 2022-07-27 . Pakistan’s interior minister warns of governor’s rule in Punjab if his entry is restricted . 2024-07-20 . WION . en-us.
  16. News: 2014-01-28 . Pakistan 'on war footing to smash Taliban' . 2024-07-20 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  17. Web site: Rana Sanaullah tortured. 10 March 2003.
  18. News: 2010-07-05 . Pakistan clerics accuse Punjab leaders of Taliban link . 2024-07-20 . BBC News . en-GB.
  19. News: 2023-06-23 . Greece boat disaster: 350 Pakistanis were on board, minister says . 2024-07-20 . en-GB.
  20. News: 2023-05-09 . Pakistan internet cut as violence erupts after arrest of ex-PM Imran Khan . 2024-07-20 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  21. Web site: Punjab Assembly - Members - Members' Directory. www.pap.gov.pk.
  22. Web site: 2023-05-30 . Imran Khan to be put on trial in military court: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah . 2024-07-20 . WION . en-us.
  23. News: 2011-03-16 . Pakistan frees CIA spy charged with murder . 2024-07-20 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  24. Web site: Punjab Assembly - Members - Members' Directory. www.pap.gov.pk.
  25. News: Reuters . 2022-11-08 . Evidence suggests reporter killed in Kenya was targeted, says Pakistan . 2024-07-20 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  26. Web site: NA-106 Results - Election 2018 Results - - Candidates List - Constituency Details - Geo.tv. www.geo.tv.
  27. Web site: NA-100 Election Result 2024 Faisalabad 6, Candidates List . 2024-07-20 . www.geo.tv . en.
  28. Web site: NA-100 Election Result 2024 Faisalabad-VI, Candidates List . 2024-07-20 . ARYNEWS . en.
  29. Web site: Desk . Web . 2024-02-08 . NA-100: Elections 2024 Pakistan results LIVE . 2024-07-20 . ARY NEWS . en-US.
  30. Web site: 2024-02-09 . Major upset as Rana Sanaullah loses Faisalabad’s NA-100 seat . 2024-07-20 . ARY NEWS . en-US.
  31. Web site: 2024-02-09 . Independent candidate Nisar Ahmed wins NA-100 seat . 2024-07-20 . en-US.
  32. Web site: Imran Khan To Face Charges For Exposing Official Secrets: Pak Minister . 2024-07-20 . NDTV.com.
  33. News: Baloch . ‘Pakistan’s democracy hangs by a thread,’ says Imran Khan on return home after arrest . 2024-07-20 . The Observer . en-GB . 0029-7712.
  34. Web site: 2022-04-21 . Rana Sanaullah assumes charge as new minister for interior . 2024-07-20 . Brecorder . en.
  35. Web site: ‘He running a gang?’: Pakistan minister slammed for Khan remarks . 2024-07-20 . Al Jazeera . en.
  36. Web site: Pakistan minister says Khan should be tried in military court . 2024-07-20 . Al Jazeera . en.
  37. Web site: 2023-03-27 . Pakistan minister sparks backlash with ‘it’s us or him’ Imran Khan comment . 2024-07-20 . The Independent . en.
  38. Web site: Imran Khan supporters in Pakistan reeling a year after arrest . 2024-07-20 . www.bbc.com . en-GB.
  39. Web site: Rana Sanaullah appointed PM Shehbaz's adviser on political affairs . 2024-06-19 . www.geo.tv . en.
  40. Web site: Guramani . Nadir . 2024-04-30 . President Zardari appoints PML-N’s Rana Sanaullah as PM’s adviser on political affairs . 2024-06-19 . DAWN.COM . en.
  41. Web site: 2024-04-30 . President approves Rana Sanaullah’s appointment as Adviser to PM . 2024-06-19 . en-US.
  42. News: 2024-05-01 . Pak Prez Zardari appoints Rana Sanaullah as PM's adviser . 2024-06-19 . The Economic Times . 0013-0389.
  43. Web site: Rana Sana appointed PM adviser on political affairs . 2024-06-19 . www.thenews.com.pk . en.
  44. Book: Faith-Based Violence and Deobandi Militancy in Pakistan . Palgrave Macmillan UK . 2016 . 242.
  45. Book: Abou Zahab, Mariam . Pakistan: A Kaleidoscope of Islam . Oxford University Press . 2020 . 143.
  46. Book: Jaffrelot, Christophe . The Pakistan Paradox: Instability and Resilience . Oxford University Press . 2015 . 615.
  47. https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/warren-weinstein-pakistan-kidnapping-suspects-arrested/story?id=14373428 Warren Weinstein Pakistan Kidnapping: Three Suspects Arrested – ABC News website
  48. http://edition.cnn.com/2015/04/23/politics/white-house-hostages-killed U.S. drone strike accidentally killed 2 hostages
  49. http://www.nation.com.pk/national/17-Jun-2014/minhajul-quran-workers-police-clash-in-lahore 7 dead, 80 injured in clash between PAT and Lahore Police
  50. http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-151028-Eight-killed-in-police-action-at-Minhajul-Quran-secretariat-in-Lahore- Eight killed in police action at Minhajul Quran secretariat in Lahore
  51. http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/world/2014/06/24/Pakistan-witnesses-a-day-long-drama-by-revolution-seekers-.html Pakistan witnesses a day-long ‘revolution’ drama
  52. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/punjab/18-Jun-2014/model-town-mayhem-opp-takes-govt-to-task-law-minister-remains-adamant Model Town mayhem: Opposition takes government to task, law minister remains adamant
  53. http://www.dawn.com/news/1114148/shahbaz-removes-sana-official Shahbaz romoves Sanaullah as minister
  54. http://tribune.com.pk/story/725307/model-town-killings-shahbaz-must-tender-resignation-says-imran-khan/ Model Town killings: Shahbaz must tender resignation, says Imran Khan
  55. Web site: Model Town Lahore Massacre: FIR lodged against 21 including PM, CM - Lahore Massacre, A website on Punjab Police Brutality in Model Town, Lahore.. Lahore. Massacre. Lahore Massacre.
  56. Web site: Rana Sanaullah back as Punjab law minister . Dawn.com . 2015-05-29 . DAWN.COM . en . 2019-01-23.
  57. Web site: Bilal . Rana . 2022-12-10 . Lahore court acquits Rana Sanaullah in narcotics case . 2022-12-10 . DAWN.COM . en.
  58. Web site: 2022-12-10 . Pakistan court acquits interior minister in 2019 narcotics case . 2024-07-20 . The Indian Express . en.
  59. Web site: 2022-12-11 . Pakistan minister Rana Sanaullah Khan acquitted in narcotics case . 2024-07-20 . gulfnews.com . en.
  60. Web site: 2019-07-01 . ANF arrests Rana Sanaullah for carrying drugs . 2022-12-10 . The Express Tribune . en.
  61. News: The inside story of Rana Sanaullah's arrest by the ANF . 2022-12-10 . www.geo.tv . en.
  62. News: 2022-07-10 . Pakistan home minister writes to army chief about drug case . 2024-07-20 . The Times of India . 0971-8257.
  63. Web site: Rana Sanaullah to be indicted on March 6 in drugs case . 2024-07-20 . www.geo.tv . en.
  64. Web site: Staff . Web Desk . 2022-12-10 . Rana Sanaullah acquitted in narcotics case . 2024-07-20 . Pakistan Observer . en-US.
  65. Web site: Desk . BR Web . 2022-12-10 . Rana Sanaullah acquitted in narcotics case . 2022-12-10 . Brecorder . en.
  66. Web site: Another plea seeking FIR against Rana Sana filed . 2024-07-20 . www.thenews.com.pk . en.
  67. Web site: Bilal . Rana . 2022-12-10 . Lahore court acquits Rana Sanaullah in narcotics case . 2024-07-20 . DAWN.COM . en.
  68. Web site: Yasif . Rana . 2023-03-06 . LHC dismisses Sana’s plea challenging arrest warrant . 2024-07-20 . The Express Tribune . en.
  69. Web site: 2022-12-10 . Court acquits Rana Sanaullah in narcotics case . 2022-12-10 . The Express Tribune . en.
  70. Web site: Desk . Web . 2024-04-18 . Court issues notices on plea to register case against Rana Sanaullah . 2024-07-20 . GNN - Pakistan's Largest News Portal . en-US.
  71. Web site: Reporter . The Newspaper's Staff . 2024-04-14 . Plea seeking registration of FIR against ex-interior minister dismissed . 2024-07-20 . DAWN.COM . en.
  72. Web site: Rana Sanaullah acquitted in drugs case . 2022-12-10 . www.geo.tv . en.
  73. Web site: 2022-12-10 . Preparations to welcome Nawaz Sharif launched . 2022-12-10 . Daily Times . en-US.
  74. Web site: The inside story of Rana Sanaullah's arrest by the ANF . 2024-07-20 . www.geo.tv . en.