Defence cross-examines three prosecution witnesses in Naqeebullah murder case

An anti-terrorism court on Wednesday adjourned the hearing of the Naqebullah murder case till October 15 after recording the cross-examination of three prosecution witnesses by the defence.

The investigation officer produced three witnesses, including a medico-legal officer, before the ATC judge as the defence lawyers cross-examined their depositions in the prosecution documents and in the court.

Twenty-three policemen, including former SP Rao Anwar, have been charged with the murder of Naqeebullah Mehsud – whose real name was Naseemullah Mehsud – who along with three others, Sabir, Nazar Jan and Ishaq, was killed in a fake encounter on the outskirts of the city on January 13, 2018.

Anwar, Qamar Ahmed, Muhammad Yaseen, Supurd Hussain and Khizar Hayat are on bail, while those who are in police custody are Allah Yar Kaka, Muhammad Iqbal, Arshad Ali, Ghulam Nazuk, Abdul Ali, Shafiq Ahmed, Shakeel, Muhammad Anar, Khair Muhammad, Faisal Mehmood, Ali Akbar, Raees Abbas Zaidi and Syed Imran Kazmi. Seven accused, namely Amanullah Marwat, Shaikh Muhammad Shoaib, Gada Hussain, Mohsin Abbas, Sadaqat Hussain Shah, Rana Shamim and Riaz, have been declared proclaimed offenders and warrants have been out for their arrests.

Naqeebullah’s family lawyer, Salahuddin Panhwar, on a previous hearing, had complained before the ATC judge that the prosecution witnesses were being harassed by the absconding accused to depose in the favour of them during the trial.

Anwar had claimed that the 27-year-old was a terrorist and was killed with his accomplices during a shootout with law enforcers in the jurisdiction of the Shah Latif Town police station. Contrary to Anwar’s repeated claim, the investigation did not find any evidence of Naqeeb’s involvement in terrorist activity but observed that Naqeeb’s social media profile portrayed him as a liberal and fun-loving young man with a penchant for modelling.

The ATC had begun the trial in March, 2019. Father of the slain youth, Muhammad Khan, who lodged the complaint against police has passed away. Khan before his death had expressed his distrust in the judicial system and the authorities for he was receiving death threats for pursuing the case.