Probe kicks off amid calls for SSP suspension

Naimat Khan

KARACHI: Members of civil society, Academia, trade and students union, and political workers were united against the extra-judicial murder of Naqib Mehsud here at Karachi Press Club on Thursday whereas both home minister Sindh, Sohail Anwar Siyal, and Police Chief, AD Khowaja, separately, setup probe teams following notice was taken by Chairman of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party.

“I have asked Sohail Anwar Siyal to investigate the incident,” Bilawal Bhutto  included quote while tweeting news of society’s anger over the gruesome murder.

“I have directed Deputy Inspector General of Police, South Azad Khan, to conduct inquiry and submit report,” Sindh’s home minister said in his reply to Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

Separately, Inspector Ge-neral Police (IGP) Sindh, AD Khawaja also ordered the formation of a three-member co-mmittee to probe the suspected extrajudicial killing of Na-seemullah alias Naqeebullah.

Meanwhile, a massive protest demonstration was held in front of the press club in which Members of civil society, Academia, trade and students union, and political workers participated and de-manded to arrest Rao Anwar.

A committee comprising Inspector General Police (IGP) Counter-terrorism Department (CTD) Sanaullah Abbasi and DIGs South and East has been formed to investigate the “alleged encounter” of Naqeeb, notification issued by the office of the provincial inspector general (IG) said.

The committee is mandated to “assess the genuineness of encounter” and “dig out profile of the deceased” and directed to submit its findings within three days.

Extra-Judicial killing echoes in Sindh Assembly

Meanwhile, the issue of extra-judicial killing was raised by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmaker, Khurram Sherzaman, which was supported by other MPAs. PTI’s parliamentary leader on point of order told that Police is killing innocent men in Karachi. “men in plain clothes picked up Naqib Mehsud from his house and he later was killed by so-called encounter specialist” in stage encounter. He demanded that Rao Anwar should be suspended till fair investigation is completed.

On this Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza told that Home Minister has already directed police to conduct inquiry.

Family of a youth – named Nasimullah Mehsud alias Naqib Mehsud, who hails from Waziristan in tribal areas of Pakistan – Wedne-sday claimed that Mehsud was picked up by police on January 3, some ten days before infamous encounter specialist, SSP Malir Rao Anwar, gunned down him in a staged encounter.

Rao Anwar, who had been facing courts for staged encounters in past, on last Saturday claimed that he killed four suspected militants who were involved in several high-profile terror cases and had ties with terrorist outfits Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LJ) and the militant Islamic State (IS).