Rao Anwar requests leaves as IG orders inquiry into 25 Nov firing incident

Naimat Khan

KARACHI: Senior Superintendent of Police Malir, Rao Anwar, on Thursday applied for ex-Pakistan leaves soon after Inspector General of Police Sindh, Allah Dino Khowaja, ordered an enquiry into the firing incident by a team he led on 25 of this month.

“Mr. Mushtaq Ahmed Mehar, PSP, Additional Inspector General Karachi is herby nominated as enquiry office to conduct enquiry into the incident of firing as a result of which 27 protestors got injured at Star gate, District Malir, On 25-11-2017,” a notification issued on Thursday reads.

According to the notification, additional IGP Karachi shall conduct the enquiry himself and shall not assign it to anyone else.

Additional IG Karachi is tasked to identity the circumstances leading to injuries of 27 protestors including SHO and Police Constable.

Though there is no direct mention of Rao Anwar, sources told that the officer after getting copy of notification has applied for ex-Pakistan Leave as the firing was open upon his orders.

Two days earlier, SP Malir Rao Anwar, who is known for his staged encounters, informed a local court that he can’t appear due to life threats from Taliban.

According to reports, Rao Anwar submitted a written apology with the court, which had last week issued arrest warrants for the encounter specialist after he failed to appear before the court as witness.

The judged expressed his displeasure over SSP Malir when he appeared before the court here on Tuesday. “Why shouldn’t be you sent to Jail so that you may appear before the court on time?” the judged asked to which Rao Anwar said that he had threats to life from Taliban.

The court was adjourned till December 2.

A session court in Karachi on last Tuesday issued arrest warrants for Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Malir, Rao Anwar Ahmed, for not showing up in cases against former leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Saleem Shehzad as witness.

The former MQM leader appeared in court in two different cases being lodged against him in 1992. The Additional District and Session Judge East had summoned Rao Anwar, who is witness in these cases, thrice but he didn’t show up as a result of which the judge issued arrest warrants for SSP Rao.

Rao was suspended for arresting Khowaja Izharul Hasan previously. He is also notorious for staged encounters and facilitating land grabbing with patronage of important political personality as well as officers of the Law enforcement Agency.

The court heard two cases of arson and interfering in matter of state being lodged in Landhi and Khokhrapar police stations in 1992.