Any recording video or audio to expose a person’s criminal offences cannot be considered a crime: Rana Sanaullah
ISLAMABAD, July 6 (SABAH): Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan has said that any recording video or audio in order to expose a person’s criminal offences or misdeed cannot be considered a crime unless it is done to blackmail someone.
Rana Sanaullah Khan said this while addressing a press conference here on Wednesday. Audio clip proved that Bushra Bibi was “involved in a crime. A lady of an important status is linking the entire opposition and the nation to treason over a letter, which they (PTI) claimed came from America” he said.
“She is doing it to save herself from corruption. She is explaining how it can be done with a proper procedure, with proper planning and training,” he said, adding that no questions could be raised on such a recording. But if PTI claimed that the recording was false then Imran Khan should straight up refute it and demand a forensic examination, he added.
“Instead, his party members say that the content of the audio doesn’t matter. If the recording is fake, they should say that it is fake so that an investigation is held to prove who is right and who isn’t.” Replying to Imran Khan’s video speech last night, Rana Sanaullah said that the PTI chairman “should be ashamed of himself” for making claims that he was being harassed and isolated. “Have you not been doing this with your opponents for 3.5 years? No such thing is being done with you,” he said. “Is asking you about your assets and corruption harassing you?”
The interior minister said if the former premier had to reveal everything then he should tell the public about the real reasons and factors behind the 2014 sit-in. “Tell them how you falsely implicated me in the drugs case. I was locked up in jail for six months,” he added.
The reality is that the case against him was made by Imran Khan himself and Shahzad Akbar proved to be instrumental in this,” he said, demanding that the Supreme Court of Pakistan should initiate a suo motu case on the matter and find out who the real perpetrators were. “If I am proven to be guilty, I am ready to be sentenced to capital punishment. But if the reality is something else then all of them should be sent to jail for life,” he said.
He said the former premier got transferred 458 canals of land on the name of her wife while 240 canals on the name of Farah in Bani Gala.
Responding to questions, the Interior Minister said that former prime minister Imran Khan cannot scare anybody through his threats, blackmailing and narrative. He said the former Prime Minister should respond to the corruption done in his tenure.
In response to a question in connection with talks with Taliban, Rana Sanaullah revealed that the Parliamentary Committee on National Security had unanimously agreed to continue dialogue with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
All the politicians who attended the meeting yesterday said that no one could refuse dialogue. Across the globe, every violent movement was ended on the table. So there is no denying that, he said. Apart from that, the minister continued, the armed forces clearly said that a committee should be formed, comprising representatives of all political parties, to ensure that there was a “political consensus and will backing the talks.
However, he said his assessment was that, at the moment, Pakistan was in a “pre-dialogue” phase with the banned group as it was still under discussion what the nature of the dialogue should be.
“They said that the committee will monitor this and any talk or offer conceded will first be discussed in the Parliament before a decision is taken,” he said, adding that the process was being held under the supervision of the Parliament.
Talking to the media persons, he termed the briefing of the military leadership to the Parliamentary Committee on National Security on Tuesday as comprehensive one.
Answering a question on journalist Imran Riaz Khan’s arrest, the minister said that the government was against curbing freedom of expression but if someone was making accusations against anyone without any evidence, that was plain wrong.
“If they are talking beyond their professions and are presenting themselves as political workers, then I feel that the shelter which is enjoyed by a journalist — they can’t take shelter under it then.”
“Are you a rented journalist that without verifying you have started attacking us? What benefits are you gaining out of it?” he said, urging journalist organisations to take notice of such behaviour.
Responding to questions, the interior minister said that former Prime Minister Imran Khan cannot scare anybody through his threats, blackmailing and narrative. He said the former Prime Minister should respond to the corruption done in his tenure.