Justice Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar calls attention-diverting tactic a criminal ploy as case referred to Interior Committee
Former Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf speaks during a session of the National Assembly, May 20, 2026.
Former Prime Minister and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Raja Pervez Ashraf told the National Assembly (NA) on Wednesday that he had lived an “impeccable life” after drug queen Pinky allegedly named him during a court appearance, an incident he described as an attempt at defamation.
On May 18, drug kingpin Anmol aka Pinky repeated her allegations of being pressured to name certain people, including Ashraf, saying she was asked to implicate them. Pinky, accused of operating one of the city’s most organized drug supply networks, was arrested on May 12 in a joint operation by city police and a civilian agency at an apartment in the Garden district.
Addressing the house, Ashraf said a clip had gone viral on social media showing the woman mentioning his name during court proceedings. However, less than half an hour later, a second clip emerged in which her lawyers explained that when she appeared in court she was pressured to give her name.
“By the grace of God, I have lived an impeccable life,” Ashraf said at home. “I am a member of this House for the fourth time. I remained Prime Minister of this country and President of the National Assembly.”
Ashraf said he initially did not understand what connection he might have to the case, but noted that after the clarification, multiple stories began circulating on social media with vloggers and commentators speaking out about the incident.
He thanked the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ayaz Sadiq, for immediately taking notice of the matter, and also expressed his gratitude to his party leadership, his family members and especially his political opponents. “I am also grateful to all my friends, family members, and especially my political opponents, who have recognized this problem and openly stated that this is in no way correct,” he said.
Terming it false and sensational, Ashraf said, “Such attempts to malign anyone or pursue any other motive must be stopped. »
Read: Sindh IG says investigation into Pinky’s drug ring widens as it names ‘some personalities’
Ashraf said he believed the woman was used to distract from his own case. “This woman had previously taken the name of another personality, and I believe this was done to divert attention, so that the attention could be shifted elsewhere, or to gain an advantage, or to divert the matter in another direction, or to create conflict between people,” he said.
The former prime minister used the opportunity to call for legislation against media trials and unverified allegations, asking Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar to look into the matter. “No person, whether a politician or an ordinary citizen, should be subject to media trial or defamation until the allegations are proven. Every citizen is innocent until proven guilty by law,” he said.
“My only request is that no one is defamed without reason, because I know that this incident has no basis,” he said.
Further, the former Prime Minister asked the speaker to establish a system “so that until the investigation is completed, until the investigation is completed, until the matter reaches the court, no kind of comments on such matters are made, as they are not only harmful to the society but also amount to tarnishing the honor of respectable people.”
Ashraf also spoke about his own experience, saying he had previously endured what he described as a motivated case in which he was honorably acquitted but suffered years of reputational damage. “I always say these 10 years that his reputation was destroyed, how are you going to restore that honor?” he said.
He also addressed pointed remarks to vloggers “and all those who, for the good of audiences, use misleading titles and content” to reflect on this practice. “Maybe they’ll make a few dollars, but in my opinion it’s a serious failure,” he said.
Stating that everyone should think about this issue together, Ashraf said the guilty should be punished.
President Sadiq expressed his solidarity with Ashraf, telling the House that everyone knew his dignity, his honesty and his way of dealing with his colleagues. “I don’t think anyone should doubt it,” Sadiq said, adding that the reality of the issue became clear after a phone call made in Ashraf’s presence the day before.
Learn more: Probe completed on additional protocol for Pinky
Tarar, at the invitation of the speaker, spoke on the subject. Drawing on his three decades of experience as a criminal lawyer, he said the tactic of naming prominent figures was a well-known criminal ploy.
“These clever criminals usually use such tactics to take the names of various famous people and try to connect so that all the attention is diverted to that and the focus is diverted from the case,” he said.
Tarar assured the House that the government would investigate why the woman’s lawyer made the statement and whether it was based on reality. “If this was based on reality, then this investigator will be reprimanded,” he said, adding that the matter would be reported home.
Tarar also announced that instructions would be given to the Inspector General of Police that the suspect’s appearance in court for remand need not be televised. “She must be brought to court quietly, in a cordoned off area, everything that needs to be said must be presented to the court, in a closed room,” he said.
The matter was referred to the Interior Committee.
