KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Karachi on Thursday sent suspended Malir SSP Rao Anwar to police custody till April 21 for filing a false case against Naqeebullah Mehsud, who was killed in a fake encounter in Karachi.
Anwar was brought to the court amid tight security. During the hearing, investigation officer told the court Anwar and other policemen filed false FIRs [First Information Report] against four people, including Naqeebullah.
Subsequently, the court sent the suspended SSP into police remand till April 21.
While answering journalists after the hearing, Anwar said he had recorded his statement with the joint investigation team formed over the cases.
On March 21, the former cop, who had been absconding in the Naqeebullah Mehsud’s extra-judicial murder case for a month, appeared before the Supreme Court (SC) after which the top court ordered police to take the suspended Karachi police official into custody.
Anwar was wanted in the murder case of Naqeebullah Mehsud, a 27-year-old native of Waziristan, who was among three others killed in an extra-judicial encounter on January 13, reportedly carried out on Anwar’s orders.
Appearing before the bench, Anwar’s counsel had sought protective bail from the court but Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar had dismissed the plea and gave orders for his arrest.
Chief Justice Nisar had expressed dismay at Anwar’s continuous absence despite repeated summons by the apex court.
The chief justice had also ordered the formation of a joint investigation team (JIT) headed by Sindh Additional IG Aftab Pathan. Other members include Zulfiqar Larak, Dr Rizwan, Azad Ahmed Khan and Wali Ullah.
Objecting to the JIT’s composition, Anwar’s counsel had expressed a lack of faith in the Sindh Police, pleading to include officials of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Intelligence Bureau. Chief Justice Nisar had dismissed the plea, saying that he knows why the police officer wants to include the agencies’ officials in the committee.
