Daily Times

An anti-terrorism court on Saturday postponed the hearing of the Naqeebullah Mehsud murder case till May 28 when it is likely to indict former SSP Malir Rao Anwar and his subordinates on charges of killing the South Waziristan youngster in a staged encounter.

During the proceedings on Saturday, the former police officer along with other accused was presented before the ATC as it resumed the hearing of the case.

Anwar was once again brought to the court without handcuffs, despite earlier protests by the Naqeebullah’s family against protocol for the suspended police officer. Jail authorities also exempted Anwar from wearing the orange jacket, which is compulsory for every under trial accused to wear. Other accused in the murder case, who were present at the court, were seen in the mandatory orange jacket.

He, along with 10 of his subordinates, was arrested on charges of abducting Naqeebullah for ransom and later killing him along with three other detainees in a fake encounter on Jan 13 in the outskirts of the city.

The investigation officer submitted a progress report, informing that the police are making all-out efforts to arrest all absconders in the case.

Meanwhile on Saturday, DSP Qamar Ahmed, a close aide of the former SSP Malir, filed an application seeking his release on bail.

Ahmed was at the court during hearing on Saturday over the murder case, along with suspended SSP Rao Anwar and others accused of the extrajudicial killing.

The court issued a notice to government lawyers, Beromal and Nawaz Karim, for arguments over the bail petition but the latter refused to acknowledge the notice. The ATC judge expressed astonishment, saying the lawyers refused to accept the notices despite the court’s written suggestions to Sindh High Court to send government lawyers for the case.

At Saturday’s hearing police also presented report on absconders in the case, including Shoaib Shooter, Amanullah Marwat and others.

Published in Daily Times, May 20^th 2018.