Naqeebullah killing case: Rao Anwar arrested on CJP’s directive after surprise court appearance

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The wanted police officer in the Naqeebullah Mehsud killing case, Rao Anwar was arrested on Wednesday from outside the Supreme Court after he appeared in the court.

Rao Anwar wanted in the murder case of Naqeebullah Mehsud, a young man hailing from tribal agency and three others. The police officer was accused for killing the four people in a fake police encounter in Karachi on January 13.

Earlier in the day, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar resumed hearing the suo motu case and suddenly Rao Anwar appeared in court in a white-colored Corolla with a police escort.

Anwar was wearing a surgical mask when he disembarked from the car.

During the hearing counsel of Rao Anwar demanded protective bail from the court but the chief justice rejected the request and gave orders for his arrest.

Chief Justice Nisar showed anger over Anwar’s continuous absconding in the case despite repeated summons and safety guarantees by the apex court.

During the hearing, the chief justice also ordered the formation of a joint investigation team (JIT) headed by Sindh Police’s Additional IG Aftab Pathan and comprising four senior officers of the provincial police to probe the case.

Objecting to the JIT’s composition, Anwar’s counsel expressed a lack of faith in the Sindh Police and pleaded to include officials of the ISI and Intelligence Bureau.

CJP Nisar rejected the objection and remarked that he knows why the police officer wants to include the agencies’ officials in the committee.

The court also ordered the un-freezing of Anwar’s bank accounts which had been seized earlier on its orders.

Following the directions, Anwar was arrested from outside the court by the Islamabad Police and transported amid heavy security to the heavily protected Diplomatic Enclave.

The court also undertook a sworn statement from Mehsud’s family that they will not take the law into their own hands and harm Anwar.