Minister wants jail trial of case against Rana Sanaullah.

Byline: Ikram Junaidi

ISLAMABAD -- Accusing Rana Sanaullah of being the 'El Chapo' of Pakistan, Minister for Safron and Narcotics Control Shehryar Khan Afridi on Saturday requested the court to hold day-to-day hearing in the drug case against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader.

El Chapo is a Mexican drug lord who is considered to have been the most powerful drug trafficker in the world. He is at present serving a life term in a United States prison.

But in his live press conference, the minister called Rana Sanaullah 'Pakistani Al Pacino' - the Oscar-winning American actor - and not the drug lord 'El Chapo'.

Addressing the press conference, the minister claimed that witnesses in the case were under threat. He demanded that the Lahore High Court's chief justice either shift the case to Rawalpindi or allow trial in jail.

The minister said that the allegation against Mr Sanaullah was beyond any doubt as the country's most credible drug control agency (Anti Narcotics Force) had seized drugs from his possession when he was travelling on a road.

'ANF officials put their lives at risk just to free the country from the menace of drugs. It is the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan that the big fish, in drug business, should be arrested. The ANF has recovered 15 kilograms of heroin from Pakistani Al Pacino,' he said.

However, a statement issued after...