SC orders arrest of Rao Anwar within three days

KARACHI: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Saturday observed that slain Naqeebullah Mehsud was son of the nation and the state could not be allowed extra judicial killing of its citizens under any circumstances.

Hearing the suo moto proceedings for the extra judicial killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud by SP Rao Anwar, Supreme Court’s three member bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar directed the IG Sindh to produce the absconding SP Rao Anwar within three days.

When the Chief Justice inquired from IG Sindh as why SP Rao Anwar was not produced before the court despite notice, IG Sindh AD Khawaja submitted that SP Rao Anwar was absconding after registration of Naqeebullah murder case against him and his team.

The Chief Justice asked IG Sindh to inform the court as whether any influentials had helped SP Rao Anwar to abscond or he was hiding at a place where the police does not have access.

The CJP asked the IG Sindh to act independently without pressure as the court will provide every support if he faces any difficulty to nab the absconding officer.

Justice Gulzar Ahmed observed that the state machinery should not fail for one person.

The CJP observed that politicians get credit for success but it could not be ruled out that some improvement has been made due to the action taken by the Supreme Court.

The IG Sindh sought three-day time for coming up with information to the whereabouts of the absconding police officer. The court also turned down the request of Naqeebullah’s father for constitution of judicial commission observing that it would amount to relegating the case to cold storage. The court assured Naqeebullah’s father of justice observing that the case will be proceeded quickly. Justice Gulzar Ahmed observed that extra judicial killing is on the rise and recently a young boy who could have easily been arrested was killed by police in Darakshan, Clifton. The court observed that extra judicial killing is not acceptable.

The Chief Justice inquired from the Director General Civil Aviation Authority about the number of private jet operators and asked him if Rao Anwar had traveled abroad from these aircraft. DG CAA Air Marshal (retd) Asim Suleman submitted that there are six people and private companies who own aircraft including Jamaluddin Wali, Pak Air, King Fleet of Bahria Town, Lucky Cement, Omny group and Ittehad Sugar Mills besides charter services. The court directed the DG CAA to file affidavits of private aircraft companies that Rao Anwar did not use their respective aircraft. The court also directed secretary interior to file affidavits from head of border post with regard to Anwar’s escape from there.

Inquiry report against Rao Anwar: Former SP Malir Rao Anwar and the members of his Police team were present at the scene of the police encounter of Naqeebullah Mehsud as proven by the call data record, a high level police inquiry team stated in its report submitted to the Supreme Court.

Submitting the inquiry report before the Supreme Court, the police inquiry team headed by Additional IG CTD Sanaullah Abbasi said the police encounter on January 13 in the jurisdiction of Shah Latif police station which resulted in the death of Naeemullah alias Naqeebullah Mehsud was prima facie a staged encounter. The report said that Naqeebullah’s friend Hazrat Ali had informed the committee that he along with Naqeebullah and Qasim were rounded up by the police from a tea shop at Abul Hasan Ispahani road on January 3 and were taken to Sachal police station where they were confined and tortured for three days by the police. Later he and Qasim were released with a warning to remain silent. Later, the witnesses said they came to know through media that SP Rao Anwar had killed Naqeebullah in an encounter.

The inquiry report said that Anwar avoided the inquiry after the first brief attendance despite constant media appearance. The committee said Anwar showed extreme indiscipline and disobeyed the lawful command and constantly tried to hamper and obstruct justice. It said Rao Anwar tried to leave for Dubai on January 23 from Islamabad airport on forged documents from where he was off-loaded by the FIA staff.

The inquiry report said contrary to the persistent claim of Anwar in the media and statement before the committee there was no involvement of Naseemullah alias Naqeebullah Mehsud in any terrorist activity. The report said there is an extreme fear amongst the witnesses who are fearful of their security and were afraid to cooperate during inquiries and investigations. It recommended granting protection to the witnesses under the provisions of the Sindh Witness Protection Act 2013.

The inquiry committee said an FIR has been registered against SP Rao Anwar and his team. The committee also recommended that further investigation may be carried out by another team headed by an officer of the rank of additional IG. According to the report SP Rao Anwar conducted as many as 745 police encounters during his tenure of SP Rao Anwar in Malir district in which 444 accused were killed, while 891 accused were arrested.