Naqeebullah murder case: ‘Justice will be served’, PM assures Mehsud delegation

As the sun rose on the sixth day of the Mehsud tribe’s sit-in in front of the National Press Club in Islamabad to seek justice for the slain Waziristan youth Naqeebullah Mehsud, a Pakhtun tribal delegation held an important meeting with Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi where they presented their demands to the premier.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s House, the delegation demanded from the PM to arrest the culprits involved in the extrajudicial killing of Naqeebullah at the earliest.

A jirga comprising of Mehsud tribe members and Pakhtuns from other walks of life started the sit-in six days ago to demand the arrest of suspended SSP Rao Anwar who was implicated in the murder of the Waziristan native in a fake encounter on January 13 in the port city of Karachi. Three other people were also killed in the encounter.

During the meeting, the prime minister gave assurances to the delegation that the state would use all its powers to arrest Rao Anwar and bring him to justice, saying that the matter had gained national importance and could not be ignored.

The PM also assured the delegation that the case would be conducted per the requirements of the country’s justice system. He also announced to build a college in Waziristan that would be named after the slain Pakhtun youth.

Other participants of the meeting included Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Governor Zafar Iqbal Jhagra and Pakistan Muslim League KP chapter chief Ameer Muqam.

The sit-in also received support from Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao who pledged not to rest until the absconder Anwar was arrested. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan also announced his support for the participants of the sit-in, saying that the culprits should be brought before law at the earliest.

Anwar’s disappearance

Before a joint investigating team had submitted its report to implicate suspended Malir SSP Rao Anwar and others in the murder of Naqeeb and three others, the officer and members of his police party had long disappeared.

Later, a first information report (FIR) was also registered against Anwar and his associates after failing to show up for committee hearings. The police had so far failed to arrest Anwar and efforts were being made to nab the absconder at the earliest.