SC accepts ISI, MI’s request to submit Naqeebullah case report in week’s time

• CJP says not satisfied with IB’s investigation report

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday extended the deadline for Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Military Intelligence (MI) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to submit their reports in the Naqeebullah Mehsud extrajudicial killing.

During the hearing of the suo motu notice of Naqeebullah murder case, a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan, gave one week to the intelligence agencies after the latter sought time.

During the court proceedings, the CJP expressed annoyance over the failure of ISI and MI in presenting their reports before the court. He gave the agencies until 11:30am to submit their reports. An hour later, a Defence Ministry’s representative appeared before the top court and stated that ISI and MI have sought a week’s time to file the report as they were getting information from their field officers.

Meanwhile, the Intelligence Bureau’s representative submitted his department’s investigation report.

The apex court in an earlier hearing had directed ISI, MI and IB to provide support to police in arresting Rao Anwar.

Sindh Inspector General Police (IGP) AD Khowaja also appeared before the bench. The CJP came down hard on the police chief after being informed that Anwar was still at large. Justice Nisar inquired on the delay despite the top court’s orders to seek the assistance of all security agencies.

Justice Nisar asked the police chief if the security agencies had provided him with any assistance in this regard. To which, AD Khowaja replied: “There is no development in tracking Whatsapp [a messaging application] calls.”

The Sindh additional advocate general told the bench that Anwar didn’t possess a dual nationality.

“The former SSP possessed an Iqama,” remarked the CJP.

The IB report submitted to the court said that the department’s deputy director was collaborating with the police investigation team and had carried out an extensive technical analysis of the absconding police officer.

The CJP expressed displeasure at the report submitted by the IB and asked for the report by IS. To which the additional attorney general replied that the report had not been submitted yet.

“Elaborate why the ISI and MI have not presented their reports?” asked Justice Nisar.

Former SSP Malir Rao Anwar, who is facing murder charges for allegedly leading the encounter in which Naqeeb was killed, has gone into hiding as the law enforcement agencies are struggling to find him.

Earlier, the SC had given 10 days to the Sindh police to arrest the accused; however, no breakthrough was made with regards to his arrest, although some other police officials allegedly involved in the staged encounter have been arrested.

During the hearing, AD Khowaja had told the court that a committee had been constituted to find Anwar’s location. He had told the bench that the reports compiled by ISI, IB, and FIA in this regard have also been furnished.

Khowaja had told the court that the authorities had been handling the matter as a high-profile case, adding that the police was trying to trace the location of Anwar’s cell phone. With regards to tracing the suspended Malir SSP with the help of WhatsApp, the IGP had said that even IB was unable to trace him.