Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday issued a contempt notice to former Malir SSP Rao Anwar over his failure to appear before the apex court in the Naqeebullah Mehsud killing case.

A two-member SC bench, comprising Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and Justice Ijazul Ahsan, ordered this while hearing a suo motu case about the murder of Naqeebullah.

The court directed the State Bank of Pakistan to freeze all bank accounts being operated by Rao Anwar. The court revoked its protective bail earlier granted to Rao Anwar and directed the ISI, MI and IB to assist the police in arresting Rao Anwar and submit a detailed report in this regard within a fortnight.

The court directed the police chiefs of all the provinces to provide protection to the witnesses in the Naqeebullah case. Sindh IGP AD Khawaja, who appeared on notice, stated that the witnesses in the case were receiving threats.

At the onset of hearing, the court waited some time for Rao Anwar’s appearance. However, when AD Khawaja informed the court that Rao Anwar had not turned up, the chief justice regretted that it seemed the accused police officer had lost a golden opportunity.

He noted that the court had tried to give Rao Anwar a clean way out and granted him protective bail, but he could not get its benefit and fair chance. “The court’s sympathy with him is over now”, the chief justice said.

Published in Daily Times, February 17^th 2018.