In Disastrous Interview, Rana Shamim's Son Says Father Has Cordial Relations With Nawaz Sharif

Former Gilgit Baltistan chief judge Rana Shamim’s son Ahmad Hassan Rana has revealed that his father had close relations with Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) supreme leader and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

While talking to Shahzeb Khanzada on Geo News, Ahmad Hassan Rana, who is also his father’s lawyer, said that Shamim had been an office-bearer of the PML-N Sindh chapter and had also represented Nawaz Sharif in the Memogate case.

He added that his father, Rana Shamim the ex-chief judge of GB, had cordial relations with Nawaz Sharif and had visited him in London before the outbreak of the pandemic. When asked if Shamim had met the PML-N leader on his last visit to London, when he filed his affidavit, Ahmad initially said that he was unaware of this.

“I have to go to play snooker, for which I need my father’s permission. I will ask my wife to seek his permission so I can play snooker,” he told Shahzeb, suggesting that his relationship with his father is not too friendly.

When Khanzada insisted that as his lawyer, he should be aware of his father’s stance on the matter since he will be representing him in the court, Ahmad Hassan purportedly called his father, while on the live program, to inquire if the latter had met Nawaz in London recently. He then proceeded to tell the anchor that his father had replied to the said question with ‘no comments’.

Ahmad Hassan also told Khanzada that he had served as the assistant advocate general Punjab during the last tenure of the PML-N. While talking to Kashif Abbasi on ARY News Hassan Rana seemed to imply the affidavit will likely have political consequences for the PML-N leaders.

On Monday, a report appeared in the newspaper The News, according to which Rana Shamim had filed an affidavit in London alleging that the former chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) had ordered a judge of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to not grant bail to Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz before the 2018 elections. IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah had taken notice of the report for Contempt of Court and issued notices to Rana Shamim, Ansar Abbasi, and two others.

Ahmad Rana’s interview with Shahzeb sparked quite a stir on social media. Many, including prominent journalists, reacted to the apparent absurdity of the interview and the way Rana was answering Shahzeb’s questions.