Ahad Cheema episode: Present proof or tender apology: Rana Sana

LAHORE: Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, describing PTI Chairman Imran Khan as shameless and honourless, challenged him to present proof of Ahad Cheema owning land worth billions with plot numbers and financial value in 24 hours or else apologise to the nation for misleading them through falsified accusation.

Addressing a press conference in response to Imran’s presser, the law minister said even the most fierce of political rivals in the world observed respect but Imran did not have any respect or honour of his own and therefore he was incapacitated to respect anyone. That, he said, was why he did not even think before dragging the completely apolitical institution of civil service into his smear campaign.

He said no one in the country’s history had ever stooped so low as to drag bureaucracy into political battlegrounds and added that Imran had no proof of. “Where are those handouts and documents that were being passed around in the press conference. If they are such an incriminating proof, why were they not shared with media?” Rana Sana questioned.

He said Imran alleged that Shahbaz Sharif had spent over Rs 9,000 billion in the past nine years.

“That is the total accumulated provincial budget for nine years and the dumb Khan doesn’t even know that over 60 per cent of all budget is salaries. Either Khan is really dumb enough to say something so preposterous or someone really dumb has his ear,” opined Rana Sana.

He said, “Khan has taken a media cheap shot at those who are legally prohibited from responding to his compulsive habit of accusing and then running away like the shameless coward he is.”

He pointed out the previous allegations of Rs 70 billion cost of Lahore Metro Bus as well as Rs 27 corruption and Rs 10 billion hush money offer by Shahbaz, all of which, he said, were never spoken of again and Imran ran and hid like a coward.

Rana Sana said people like Ahad Cheema, Fawad Hassan Fawad and Aftab Sultan had dedicated their lives to public service and saving billions of rupees of public money. “They deserve respect and due legal rights. They do not deserve baseless mudslinging by shameless and honourless maniacs like Imran Khan.”

“I, on behalf of the entire politicians of Pakistan, the people of Pakistan and the Punjab government, apologise to the civil servants for having to bear this because of some mindless person,” said Rana Sana.

He said Shahbaz was the one who had eliminated the plot culture in 1998 and to accuse him guilty of committing such a thing needed to be backed with undeniable evidence which the PTI chief had failed to present.

“The civil servants are in a state of uncertainty and disappointment because instead of appreciation for their work, they are being dished out insults. They are concerned that it would be very difficult for them to function in such an environment which would eventually dent national development”, said the PML-N leader.