Naqeebullah killing case: Sindh IGP gets 10 days to nab Rao Anwar
SC directs intelligence agencies to provide complete support to Sindh Police for Anwar's arrest
February 01, 2018
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday granted an additional ten days to Inspector General Police (IGP) Sindh AD Khawaja to arrest suspended Malir SSP Rao Anwar in the extrajudicial killing case of Naqeebullah Mehsud.
Last week, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar had taken suo motu notice of Naqeebullah’s case and had set a three-day deadline for Anwar's arrest which expired on Tuesday (January 30).
Appearing in court today, IGP Sindh requested assistance from intelligence agencies for Rao Anwar’s arrest. The chief justice approved the request and directed the Inter-Services Intelligence, Military Intelligence and Intelligence Bureau to provide their "complete support" to the Sindh Police.
During today's hearing, the chief justice asked Khawaja on measures taken to arrest the absconding police officer. In reply, the IG answered that a letter was written the same day to the Ministry of Interior and added that further action could not be taken due to the case not being registered. The provincial police chief added that the IB and FIA do not possess the technology to trace Whatsapp calls.
Justice Saqib Nisar remarked that the state had deprived a citizen of his rights and is held responsible in such an instance.
Issuing a warning to the absconding police official, the court said it would be better for Anwar to come under the court's protection, lest he reaches a point where no one would protect him.
Naqeebullah's cousin, who was present in court, was told by the chief justice that the court is responsible for the family's safety and further asked the family member to convey the court's message to FATA.
The chief justice also barred the media from airing statements from Rao Anwar and assured that contempt proceedings would be initiated against the suspended police officer if he failed to appear in court.
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An official from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) also informed the court that there are four private airplane operators in the country who had submitted sworn statements vowing that Anwar had not used their aircraft to leave the country.
Appearing in court earlier, AD Khawaja submitted a progress report on the case. The seven-page report states that phone records of Anwar’s close colleagues were checked as part of the probe.
A three-member bench headed by the chief justice and comprising Jutices Umar Ata Bandial and Ijazul Ahsan conducted the proceedings.
Naqeebullah Mehsud, a 27-year-old native of Waziristan was among three others who were accused of being terrorists and killed by police in what was later termed a fake encounter.
Following claims of innocence from Naqeebullah’s family, an inquiry committee was formed which cleared the 27-year-old of any wrongdoing. An FIR was registered against Anwar and others in the case. Since then, Rao Anwar has been in hiding.
