Rao Anwar released on bail in Naqeebullah murder case

KARACHI: The anti-terrorism court (ATC) hearing the Naqeebullah Mehsud murder case ordered releasing the suspended District Malir SSP Rao Anwar on Saturday after the submission of surety bonds.

Anwar, the key accused, and his subordinates were being tried by the ATC for allegedly killing Mehsud and three other men in a fake police encounter in Shah Latif Town on January 13. On July 10, Anwar was granted bail in the murder case against the sum of Rs1 million. Ten days later he was granted bail for possession of illegal arms against the same amount. The submission of the required surety bonds enabled the suspended police officer to obtain his release on Saturday from his residence that was declared sub-jail.

On next Saturday, the trial court will announce its verdict on the bail pleas of four other suspended policemen who stand accused in the case, namely DSP Qamar Ahmed, ASI Saparud Hussain, head constables Khizar Hayat and Muhammad Hussain.

Anwar, along with 11 of his subordinates, is accused of killing Mehsud, an aspiring model from South Waziristan, and three others, namely Muhammad Ishaque, Muhammad Sabir and Nazar Jan. Twelve other accused policemen are still at large. The suspended SSP is also facing a case of allegedly registering a fake FIR against Mehsud and the three other men. He was arrested on the Supreme Court’s orders on March 21, when he finally appeared at the court in Islamabad after being on the run since January, and then shifted to Karachi.

Mehsud’s father has consistently expressed a lack of confidence in the ATC judge hearing the murder case, while his counsels have repeatedly claimed that Anwar is being given special treatment, as he did not spend a single day behind bars following his arrest.