Naqeebullah case: Apex court issues contempt notice to Rao Anwar after he failure to appear before court

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan issued a contempt of court notice to suspended Malir SSP Rao Anwar after he was failed to appear before the court in the Naqeebullah Mehsud killing case, on Friday.

State Bank of Pakistan was also directed to freeze the suspended SSP Rao Anwar bank accounts.

While hearing the suo-motu notice in Naqeebullah Mehsud extra judicial killing in Karachi last month, Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar headed the two member bench of apex court.

As the hearing began, IG Sindh AD Khawaja informed the court that Anwar has not appeared today and CJP has remarked that it seems that Rao Anwar has lost a big opportunity by deciding not to appear in court.

The bench also canceled his protective bail and ordered the all the intelligence agencies to assist in arresting Rao Anwar and submit a report in this regard in 15 days.

The court also directed the IGs of all provinces to provide protection to the witnesses in the case after Khawaja informed the bench of threats to witnesses.

The family of Naqeebullah Mehsud showed satisfaction over the proceedings but the counsel criticized the government for failing to arrest the suspended SSP Rao Anwar.

During the last hearing, the apex court had given protective bail to SSP Rao Anwar and ordered to appear before the and also orders of the new JIT followed the presentation in court of a letter written by Anwar to the apex court’s Human Rights Cell.

Naqeebulla Mehsud, a 27 year-old native of North Waziristan was killed by police in Karachi in a fake encounter and claimed that Naqeebullah and other three were linked to banned TTP organization . The operation was led by SSP Malir Rao Anwar.

Following claims of innocence from Naqeebullah’s family, an inquiry committee was formed which cleared the deceased 27-year-old of any wrongdoing.

An FIR was registered against Anwar and others in his raiding party. Since then, Anwar has been in hiding and the Sindh Police, despite the Supreme Court-directed assistance of intelligence agencies, has been unable to trace the police officer.