Rao Anwar says fake encounter was a policy

Naimat Khan

KARACHI: Absconding police officer, Rao Anwar, on Thursday claimed staged encounters was a policy of Sindh police and several departments, including Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and Special Branch had been killing the ‘culprits’ in fake encounters.

“If was charged in the fake encounter case, Inspector General of Police, Allah Dino Khowaja should also be tried under Section 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code,” he told a news channel on phone from an undisclosed location.

Rao, who admitted the encounter of Naqeeb Mehsud and others, is hiding in Rawalpindi, a source told The Frontier Post.

The accused police official uses WhatsApp for contact with media, especially the reporters who would “cover” his fake encounters. The WhatsApp, source informs, is used through Wi-Fi.

“If I hatched a conspiracy then other police officials will be a part of it”, he further told the news channel, adding that it was wrong that houses of policemen were being raided following killing of Naqeebullah.

“If the series of raids did not stop I would file a case of robbery against everyone, including the IGP,” the official, who has a long list of fake encounters for minting money from poor men, especially those from Mehsud community of Pashtun, warned.

“I would have cooperated with the police department had they talked to me properly on the issue, as I also wanted to know who was at fault,” the official, who was calling Naqeeb a hardened terrorist till he escaped to Islamabad, said.

Rao said he had no trust in the police so a JIT should be formed and his case should be investigated by intelligence agencies. “I would only appear before the team and would not let me get arrested as I have not done anything wrong”, he said.

In a statement issued to the media earlier on Thursday, Anwar called the case filed against him ‘baseless’, adding that a few police officers held a grudge against him and were misdirecting the family of late Naqeebullah.

“Police are carrying out raids at their houses and misbehaving with their families,” he claimed, also accusing the police department of “undermining” the Karachi operation as well as disregarding the law.

“Police officials are addressing Jirgas even though the Supreme Court and the Sindh High Court have imposed a ban on them,” he complained.

In a separate statement issued to the media earlier the same day, Anwar also claimed that the decision to eliminate terrorists extra-judicially had been taken in an official meeting.

Meanwhile, police is showing least interest in arrest of the guilty police official. According to reports special teams were formed to arrest the policemen involved in the gruesome murder of Naqeeb Mehsud and others but it was not doing any efforts.

Meanwhile, AD Khowaja, after meeting with Mehsud Jirga, told that anyone found of violating the law will be made accountable.

“Police will investigate the Naqeebullah Mehsud case from all angles and will do the justice”, he told media.