Naimat Khan
KARACHI: Two Witnesses in Naqeeb Mehsud cases identified three police officials, who were arrested in connection with the case.
The suspected police personnel were presented in the court of judicial magistrate Malir. First constable Muhammad Iqbal was presented. The witnesses told that court the Iqbal was standing near the police mobile in plainclothes whereas rest of the personnel arrested them.
The eyewitness further identified Arshad Ali and told the magistrate that the accused was present in Mobile and took us to Sachal check-post after arresting from Sher Agha Hotel.
The eyewitnesses also identified ASI Allahyar and said that he was one of the policemen who arrested us. Allahyar rejected their claims, however, claiming that the witnesses’ statements were “not correct”. The court asked him if had objections over being paraded for identification to which he replied in the negative.
Meanwhile, Sub-Inspector Ali Haider told that court that when the Mehsud Jirga kicked off in Sohrab Goth SHO Sohrab Goth, Shoaib Shaikh fled from the court.
Both witnesses were arrested by the former Malir senior superintendent of police (SSP) Rao Anwar who is currently on the run along with Naqeebullah and two of his friends. However, they were both released on January 6, while Naqeebullah and three others were killed in a staged encounter on January 13.
Muhammad Iqbal told the court that he had performed “general duty” and “stayed at the checkpoint”, but the eyewitnesses told the court that he had been standing right next to the police van when they were arrested.
The officers were shifted to the Sachal police station after the identification parade. The officers were three of six policemen that had been sent on remand by a sessions court on January 28.
Sub-inspector Mohammad Yasin, ASI Supurd Hussain and head constable Khizar Hayat were also produced before the administrative judge by Senior Superintendent Police Investigations Malir Abid Ali Qaimkhani, who is investigating the case, to secure their remand.
The investigation officer (IO) informed the court that the suspects were arrested on Jan 26. He said that during initial questioning, the detained suspects had disclosed that they were part of a team which killed Naqeebullah Mehsud in the ‘fake encounter’ and their absconding accomplices were also involved in the extrajudicial killing.
The IO sought their custody for two weeks in order to produce them before a judicial magistrate for an identification parade, the arrest of absconding officials, and further investigation of the case.
