- The PPP leader says Pinky mentioned his name on May 18.
- He urges that the cases not be made public before the investigation is complete.
- The Minister of Justice reiterates NA’s position with the senior leader of the PPP.
Former Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has said he is “shocked” after alleged drug lord Anmol alias Pinky mentioned his name during a court appearance.
Speaking in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Ashraf, who is also a senior leader of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), said that a video clip surfaced on May 18 in which the alleged drug dealer mentioned his name.
“I was surprised to hear which Raja Pervaiz Ashraf was referring to,” he told the lower house of parliament, adding that the woman later said she was being forced to make the accusation.
The former prime minister asked that these cases not be made public or shared on social media until investigations are completed.
He said every Pakistani has the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty after due process.
Responding to Ashraf’s comments, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq questioned Justice Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on whether cybercrime authorities should take action against what he described as false propaganda.
Given this, the Minister of Justice reiterated that the Chamber supports the PPP leader.
Pinky, accused of running a drug ring, was arrested from her apartment in Karachi’s Garden area. However, the suspect denied the claim, claiming that she was detained in Lahore 15 days before being transferred to Karachi.
In addition to narcotics, the suspect also faces murder charges and is currently in police custody on remand.
On Tuesday, Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Javed Alam Odho said several prominent names could emerge during investigations into the Pinky case, and urged citizens to cooperate with authorities in anti-drug trafficking efforts.
At a press conference in Karachi, the Sindh police chief said a task force was being constituted and asked the public to come forward and testify in court.
IGP Odho also said that multiple cases had already been registered against Pinky, including cases of the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), adding that many people linked to the narcotics business could be identified during the investigation.
