Mystery shrouds murder of Naqeeb Mehsud’s friend

A friend of Naqeeb Mehsud, a Waziristan-native killed in a fake police encounter, was murdered in Karachi’s Gulshan-e-Buner locality on March 24, reports Geo News.

According to the Landhi police, Maniyal Mehsud was murdered over a personal enmity. The authorities claimed that fellow tribesmen of the man had killed him over a money dispute. However, a brother of the deceased, Zainullah Mehsud denied the alleged enmity and said the police were trying to paint the murder as a robbery. “We want the police to probe into the matter and find the people responsible for my brother’s death.”

Earlier, on February 24, another friend of Naqeeb was shot dead in Dera Ismail Khan. Police had termed Aftab Mehsud’s killing an outcome of personal enmity as well. Aftab had played a key role in the Islamabad sit-in against Naqeeb’s killing.

Naqeeb, a 27-year-old native of Waziristan, was among four men who were accused of being terrorists and killed on the orders of District Malir SSP Rao Anwar in what was later termed a fake encounter.

Following claims of innocence by Naqeeb’s family, an inquiry committee was formed that cleared the 27-year-old of any wrongdoing. An FIR was registered against Anwar and others in the case. Since then, Anwar had been in hiding and only recently appeared before the Supreme Court in the Naqeeb Mehsud murder case.

He was subsequently arrested from outside the top court following his appearance and moved to Karachi on March 21. Later, an anti-terrorism court approved a 30-day physical remand of Anwar.