Naimat Khan
KARACHI: SSP Rao Anwar and other members of his ‘killer team’’ were booked under kidnapping, murder and terrorism charges here on Tuesday.
According to FIR, which has been lodged by Muhammad Khan, father of Naqeebullah Mehsud, in Sachal police station under 365/302/109/344/34 charges of the Pakistan Penal Code and Anti Terrorism Act (ATA), Rao Anwar and his team members were responsible for the murder of 27 years old Naqeebullah.
Anwar has Naqeebullah Mehsud, a 27-year-old native of Waziristan, and three others in an ‘exchange of fire’ on January 13 in Shah Latif Town, Karachi, which was termed by inquiry committee as fake.
On Tuesday several leaders from different political parties, including MNAs from FATA visited the Mehsud Jirga. Additional IG Sanullah Abbasi also visited the Jirga and announced that encounter has turned out to be staged and Naqeebullah was innocent.
He also recorded the statement of two friends of Naqeeeb who were picked along him.
The suspended police officer’s name was earlier placed on the Exit Control List (ECL) on the orders of the Supreme Court after it took notice of his reported attempt to leave the country.
The apex court has also summoned Anwar and senior officials of the Sindh government at the apex court’s Karachi Registry on January 27.
Earlier today, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) foiled Anwar’s attempt to leave the country from the Benazir Bhutto International Airport.
The FIA refused to let Anwar board a Dubai-bound flight around midnight due to his suspicious travel documents, which included a dubious NOC — reportedly issued by the Sindh government on Jan 20 — a ticket under the name of “Anwar Khan”.
Earlier reports had stated that the suspended SSP was not physically present at the airport but had instead sent his documents through an associate.
Meanwhile, sources within the Sindh government informed that the provincial government did not issue any NOC to Anwar, adding that the suspended Malir SSP did not ask for any leaves neither was he given one.
Moreover, hearing a separate case today, the Supreme Court Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar observed that they have heard reports that Anwar is not appearing before the inquiry committee.
“This is a human rights issue,” the chief justice observed.
The court then summoned Anwar, Sindh IG AD Khawaja and the provincial advocate general. After ordering the case hearing in Islamabad tomorrow, the apex court amended its earlier directions and stated that the hearing would take place at the Karachi Registry on January 27.
The inquiry committee probing the case has also been summoned at the next hearing.
Anwar’s name was also ordered to be placed on the ECL by the apex court.
Earlier, the inquiry committee probing the case had recommended to the Interior Ministry the placement of Anwar’s name on ECL.
Earlier, Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal said that Anwar should present himself before the inquiry committee probing the incident, and in case if he doesn’t, the committee reserves the right to take action against him.
News, Siyal had said that if Anwar has reservations against the committee, the provincial government can inform the Sindh IG about it.
Responding to a question, the home minister said that he doesn’t know where Anwar is at the moment.
A three-member committee formed to probe the killing found Naqeebullah innocent and said Anwar’s allegations against Naqeebullah are baseless.
