Sindh IG denies report of raid at Rao Anwar’s residence

KARACHI: Sindh Police IG AD Khawaja on Monday refuted the reports that police conducted a raid at the residence of former Malir SSP Rao Anwar.

The police chief also said that no one was taken into police's custody from his residence.

Meanwhile, former SSP Malir announced today that he will not appear before the investigative committee probing the Naqeebullah fake encounter case.

Anwar is facing an inquiry into the extrajudicial murder of Waziristan native Naqeebullah Mehsud.

Naqeebullah killing: Rao Anwar refuses to appear before probe team

The inquiry committee summoned Rao Anwar to DIG East's office at 11pm

The committee formed to probe the killing of Naqeebullah found the 27-year-old innocent. According to the initial investigation report, the committee has termed Anwar’s allegations against Naqeebullah baseless. In its report, the committee stated that there was no proof found of Naqeebullah being a terrorist.

The 2014 FIR presented by Anwar was also bogus, it said.

The committee in its report has also recommended the registration of a case against Rao Anwar and other personnel involved in Naqeebullah’s killing. The name of Anwar should also be placed on the exit Control List (ECL), the initial investigation report stated.

Mehsud, 27, was among four suspected terrorists killed in an ‘exchange of fire’ with a police team headed by SSP Anwar on January 13 in Shah Latif Town. However, his family later stated that Naqeebullah was innocent and gunned down in a fake encounter.

Meanwhile, in a brief telephonic conversation with Geo News, Anwar said that there is no point in going where there’s no hope of justice. He alleged that a malicious propaganda against him is being perpetuated, and dismissed the allegation that he unlawfully held people under his custody.

The former Malir SSP claimed that he is facing a one-sided inquiry.

Anwar said that a few days back Sindh IG AD Khawaja announced Rs0.2 million award for police officials behind a shootout at Shahrah-e-Faisal, but later the police encounter turned questionable.

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“Does it mean IG Sindh was involved in the killing,” questioned Anwar.

Anwar has already refused to appear before the inquiry committee after it summoned him at the DIG East's office at 11pm Sunday.

SSP Anwar has again been summoned by the inquiry body at 1pm today.

Speaking to the media after Anwar's no-show, DIG East Sultan Khawaja had said that Anwar and his team were summoned today, but they did not appear, adding that the Anwar and his team members' phones are also switched off.

Appearing before the inquiry committee prior to his suspension, Anwar had claimed that Naqeebullah was wanted for an FIR registered in 2014 and was an affiliate of Qari Ahsaan, an incarcerated member of a banned outfit. However, DIG Khawaja refuted those claims saying that Ahsaan, when asked by the inquiry body, said Naqeebullah was not his partner.

The DIG said that the committee also visited the site of the suspected police encounter, adding that they continuously tried to contact Anwar, but could not succeed.

The DIG further said that they had a conversation with Naqeebullah's cousin on Sunday (today) as well and the police team will safely transport Naqeebullah's family to Karachi.

He said that they are in touch with Ghotki and Kashmore SSPs and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police will hand over Naqeebullah's family to Sindh police.

The head of the probe committee also appointed Malir district's new SP Investigation Abid Qaimkhani as investigating officer in the case.

Qaimkhani has been tasked to arrest Anwar, in case he fails to appear before the probe team.

Naqeebullah's family is at present en route to Karachi under police protection to record their statement with the inquiry committee and register a case.

Naqeebullah's father demands justice

Before leaving DI Khan for Karachi, Naqeebullah's father, Khan Mohammad, appealed to the prime minister, chief justice and the army chief to punish the murderers of his son.

Speaking to media here, Khan Mohammad said that his son was not a terrorist or miscreant; he was a kind-hearted person.

The victim's elder brother, Fareedullah, said, "I had given Rs0.5 million to my brother for business. If Naqeeb had Rs7 million, then why would I go to Dubai and our father work as labourer."

He said that his mother had named his brother Naqeebullah, but his father would lovingly call him Naseemullah. "Naqeeb, out of his love for his father, had his CNIC made under the name of Naseemullah."

Marjan Khan, Naqeebullah's father-in-law, said that Naqeeb was quite a jolly and friendly person.

Note: An earlier version of this story reported that a raid was conducted at the residence of Rao Anwar citing sources, however, IG Sindh AD Khawaja later denied reports of a raid at the former SSP's residence.