Naqeeb’s father challenges decision to declare Rao Anwar’s home as sub-jail

KARACHI: Naqeebullah Mehsud’s father Khan Muhammad on Tuesday moved the Sindh High Court (SHC) against the provincial government’s decision to pronounce disgraced senior superintendent of police (SSP) Malir, Rao Anwar’s home a sub-jail as unconstitutional and mala fide.

The head of the grand jirga founded to seek justice for the South Waziristan youngster, while speaking to the press outside the SHC, said that they have challenged the Sindh government’s pronouncement of Anwar’s home as a sub-jail instead of sending him to the jail, adding that the provincial government was providing relief to Anwar.

During a hearing of the case held in May, the Sindh home department through a notification sent to the court directed the jail’s inspector general that Multan Lines in Malir Cantt would act as a sub-jail for the accused SSP instead of Central Prison Karachi due to security threats to Anwar.

“Though the notification did not mention it explicitly, the location of the sub-jail is, in fact, Anwar’s own residence in the military cantonment,” reported local news sources.

“If Rao Anwar is an influential person then I am also a hard worker,” said Khan Muhammad in reply to a question, adding that the wounds of his son’s murder have not been forgotten.

“The army chief and chief justice had promised me justice, so I am reminding them of justice since it’s doesn’t seem to be given to me,” Khan added.

Furthermore, civil liberty activist and lawyer Jibran Nasir at the time of the notification had said, “If Rao Anwar isn’t safe in Central Jail then how are the other accused and arrested 11 in this case safe in the jail? And if the jail isn’t safe then what about Ranger detention centers where high profile terrorists are deemed safe? The issue wasn’t Rao’s safety, it was about his luxury.”

“Without the official procedure, Anwar’s house was turned into a sub-jail by the Sindh government. The notification was issued in back-date to facilitate him. Rao has further requested the court to provide better facilities in that “sub-jail” (his home). This is a slap in the face of our justice system,” he concluded.

Rao Anwar and his subordinates have been charged with the extra-judicial killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud and three others in a staged encounter.