Daily Times

The anti-terrorism court hearing Naqeebullah Mehsud murder case has issued release orders for three more accused.

The accused who will be released on bail are former DSP Qamar Ahmed Sheikh, SI Yaseen and Head Constable Khizer Hayat.

Besides the murder of Naqeebullah, Yaseen and Hayat were nominated in three other cases of extrajudicial killing. Proceedings are also underway against Qamar Ahmed in the three other cases. However, his bail plea has been accepted in all three of those cases.

Earlier, the ATC had granted bail to former SSP Rao Anwar in the same case, directing him to submit bail bonds worth Rs1 million.

Anwar, along with 11 of his subordinates, faces trial on charges of extrajudicially killing Naqeebullah, a shopkeeper and aspiring model from South Waziristan who was settled in the coastal city. The encounter had taken place on January 13 in Malir area of Karachi. Anwar also faces charges of registering a false FIR against Naqeebullah.

The deceased’s father has expressed a lack of confidence in the ATC judge hearing the murder case, while his counsel has claimed repeatedly that the controversial police officer was being given special treatment since he did not spend a single day behind bars following his arrest. Anwar’s house was declared sub-jail after he surrendered arrest.

Naqeebullah’s family has also protested that Anwar did not once appeared in court in handcuffs.

Published in Daily Times, August 5^th 2018.