Pak clerics demand Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah's removal over terror links

Lahore, July 5 (ANI): Joining hands against the ever-expanding terrorism in the province, religious clerics in Punjab have demanded the resignation of provincial Law Minister Rana Sanaullah over his alleged links with extremist organisations.

Tahafuz-e-Namoos-e-Risalat, a consortium of religious clerics from different Sunni organisations, announced a boycott of the Punjab government till Sanaullah's removal.

Expressing their views during a seminar here, the clerics asserted that terrorists were able to operate freely in Punjab due to their links with government officials, especially Sanaullah.

"Peace can not prevail in Punjab unless the terrorists' network is busted, and the first step to do so is to remove Sanaullah from office," they said.

It is pertinent to mention here that Sanaullah had attracted wide criticism after he was seen hobnobbing with leaders of banned terror outfit Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) during a local election in Jhang a few days ago.

Religious scholars based in London have also called for Sanaullah's removal and blamed both the federal and Punjab governments for failing to protect minorities in the country.

Addressing a press conference in London, the Sunni Ittehad Council leaders charged the government of not doing enough to curb the sustained terror attacks on shrines and actively patronising the sectarian terrorist groups.

"The Punjab government has recently given funds to groups linked with terror activities. The law minister is a supporter of sectarian groups and he has provided them sanctuaries. He must resign if the government is serious in tackling the problem of terrorism," The News quoted noted religious scholar Syed Riaz Hussain Shah, as saying.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government has rejected the demand to remove Sanaullah from office, terming it as "unrealistic". (ANI)