Sindh government suspends Rao Anwar

The Sindh government on Monday finally suspended the services of former senior superintendent of police Rao Anwar, who has been absconding in the extrajudicial killing case of Naqeebullah Mehsud.

“With the approval of the chief minister of Sindh, the services of former SSP Malir district, Anwar Ahmed and former SP Investigation-II, East Zone, Muhammad Altaf Sarwar Malik are placed under suspension with immediate effect,” a notification issued by Sindh chief secretary read.

During the period of their suspension, the headquarters of the said police officers shall be at Central Police Office, Karachi, the notification stated, adding: “They shall draw pay and allowances during the period of their suspension as admissible under the rules.”

The notification came after much deliberation from the PPP-led Sindh government, despite clear recommendations of the Sindh Inspector General of Police, A.D. Khowaja, communicated much earlier in this regard.

SINDH POLICE CONDUCT RAIDS TO FIND ANWAR: Sindh Police have conducted raids in a hotel and Sindh House, Islamabad, on suspicion of Anwar hiding there, but absconding Anwar could not be arrested.

Online news agency quoted sources as saying that SSP Zulfiqar Mehr along with police team reached Islamabad on Saturday night and his arrival was kept secret from the Islamabad police at the initial stage.

Islamabad police have shown ignorance about the raids. When contacted, SHO Secretariat police Qaisar Niaz Gillani said nothing is in his notice about Sindh police’s team raid under SSP Zulfiqar Mehr at a local hotel and the Sindh House.

Rao Anwar and his team are accused of killing a 27-year-old aspiring model hailing from South Waziristan in a fake encounter.

After the murder, Anwar had claimed that the victim belonged to a militant network; however, his claims were refuted in an inquiry by the investigation team in the aftermath of the claims. Following the inquiry report, Anwar had also tried to escape the country but his name being on ECL had helped the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) to bar him from leaving.