LAHORE: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah’s indictment in a drug case was delayed on Saturday as his plea for one-day exemption from appearing in the hearing was approved by a special court for the control of narcotic substances in Lahore which has now summoned him on July 23.

Rana was arrested in the case in July 2019 under the previous government by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) which claimed to have recovered 15kg heroin from his vehicle.

At the last hearing, the court had stated that charges against the interior minister would be framed on Saturday, June 25. However, Rana did not attend the hearing today, with his lawyers stating that the interior minister was busy with the annual budget session in the National Assembly. The court, therefore, gave a day’s exemption to the interior minister from attending the hearing and summoned him at the next one on July 23.