Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah filed his reply on Wednesday to a plea submitted by former law minister Dr Babar Awan in which he had requested formation of a judicial commission to probe into Sanaullah’s statement that Awan was fit to be murdered. Awan’s lawyer requested the court to grant him some time after Sanaullah’s lawyer Khadim Hussain filed the reply. To this, the court adjourned the hearing till September 13. Awan, in his plea, had also requested the court to protect his rights under Article 4 and 9 of the constitution.
Awan said the court’s intervention into the matter was necessary as Sanaullah had pronounced extra-judicial killings as valid on television. He said Sanaullah should be held responsible if life and property damages were inflicted on him. Awan said Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif was desperate to arrest him on any false charges as he was planning to later facilitate an attempton his life in jail. The applicant said Sanaullah’s announcement called for passing of an extra-judicial death sentence against him, adding that under the circumstances his life was under threat.