Pakistan Tehreeke Insaf (PTI) ministers criticised the Anti-Narcotics force (ANF) for poorly handling the drugs possesion case against former law minister Rana Sanaullah, which became a huge embarrasment for the government, The Express Tribune reported.

According to the details, Director General (DG) ANF Major General Muhammad Arif was briefing the federal cabinet about the case against Sanaullah on Tuesday where he faced tough questions from the ministers.

Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari asked why the arrest was not videotaped as “it is a norm to record video of every case these days”.

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Minister for Housing Tariq Bashir Cheema also reportedly asked for video evidence and proof of the offence and reminded his colleagues that “hollow swearing does not matter if there is no evidence in such cases”.

Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said that the PTI government faced embarrasment due to the “mishandling” of the drugs possession case against PML-N leader.

Agreeing to Fawad Ch the communications minister Murad Saeed, also blamed the agency for mishandling the case which provided the opposition parties an opportunity to criticise the government.

The ANF chief while responding to the criticism said, “The ANF is an independent institution and will continue its work in accordance with the law,” adding that the agency took action on the basis of evidence only.

“We have irrefutable proof against Rana Sanaullah. A strong case has been prepared and everything will come to the light once the trial starts,” said Maj Gen Arif.

The agency’s chief later briefed the prime minister (PM) Imran Khan seperately in the presence of Shaharyar Afridi, Minister for Narcotics Control, about some secret aspects of the case. PM Imran after briefing directed the ANF to proceed the case according to the law.

The PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah was earlier arrested in July by ANF after alleged recovery of a sizeable quantity of drugs from his car. He was later granted bail on December 24 by the Lahore High Court (LHC).

The court in its detailed verdict questioned why formal documentary proceedings of drugs’ seizure were not conducted at the time of arrest, and why ANF sent a sample of only 20 grams of the heroin recovered from Sanaullah’s car for testing when the seized quantity was a much higher 15 kilogrammes.