Naqeebullah, others killed in fake encounter

KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court on Thursday quashed the cases against Naseemullah alias Naqeebullah Mehsud and three others lodged by Rao Anwar and his team, terming them false and concocted as an inquiry established that the young man was innocent and was killed in a fake encounter. “Naqeebullah [as he was known better] was picked by police along with his friends Hazrat Ali and Qasim on January 4, 2018 from a tea shop at the Abul Hassan Ispahani Road. They were kept in illegal confinement and badly tortured. While, Ali and Qasim were released on January 6, Naqeebullah was killed in a police encounter on January 13,” the order issued by ATC-III read.

The decision followed inquiry by SSP Investigation-III East Zone, Abid Hussain Qaimkhani into the five cases registered against the 27-year-old after his death by the then SSP Malir Rao Anwar’s team claiming that he was a terrorist and was gunned down along with his accomplices in a shootout with police in the jurisdiction of Shah Latif Town police station. “Contrary to Rao Anwar's persistent claims in the media and the statement before the [inquiry] committee, there is no evidence of Naqeebullah's involvement in any terrorist activity,” the order citing the report mentioned, “His social media profile shows [him] to be a liberal and fun loving young man with a penchant for modeling.” It also said the criminal record submitted by Rao Anwar to the inquiry committee was not that of Naqeebullah. It added that the former police officer and his team also deliberately avoided the inquiry proceedings and committed “gross” misconduct and indiscipline by disobeying the lawful orders of his superiors.

The report cited statement of the previous Investigation Officer of the case who disclosed being threatened to death by Rao Anwar and his team if he conducted a fair investigation into the crime. It mentioned that the Rao Anwar’s team tried to distort the evidence to suppress and conceal the real facts and obstruct the course of justice. Contrary to the claims of an exchange of fire, the crime scene investigations establish that no firing was made or hand grenade hurled from the so-called hideout. Furthermore, the call detail records (CDR) prove that Rao Anwar and his “close” team were present at the scene of the crime, contradicting their claims of absence in the FIRs, Rao's 'hit team' included SI Amanullah Marwat, SI Shoaib, SI Muhammad Anar, ASI Khair Muhammad, ASI Gadda Hussain, HC Faisal, HC Mehmood, HC Mohsin Abbas and PC Raja Shamim, besides others.

Ruling that the police crime scene inspection and the forensic laboratory reports do not back the allegations in the five FIRs /2018 to 21/2018, against Naqeebullah, Sabir, Nazar Jan and Ishaq, the ATC-III judge approved disposal of the FIRs to “B” class. Rao Anwar, who has now retired from the police, and his team are already face murder charges in this case. He is currently on bail.