Three witnesses depose against Rao Anwar in Naqeebullah murder case

Three more witnesses on Thursday recorded their testimonies before an anti-terrorism court (ATC) conducting the trial of a group of policemen for the extrajudicial killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud.

Naqeebullah, whose real name was Naseemullah Mehsud, was killed along with three others, Sabir, Nazar Jan and Ishaq, in a fake encounter in the outskirts of the city in Shah Latif Town on January 13, 2018 by then Malir SSP Rao Anwar and his team, according to the prosecution.

The witnesses, whose identities have been kept confidential for security concerns, deposed that they could confirm that the phone numbers presented by the prosecution in the court belonged to Anwar and two absconding accused, Shaikh Muhammad Shoaib and Amanullah

Marwat.

The prosecution had presented these phone numbers in its geo fencing and call data record reports, claiming that they were found active on the location at the time when Naqeebullah was killed.

Earlier, on a previous hearing, a witness had testified that Naqeebullah was picked up by police a week before his killing from a teashop on Abul Hassan Ispahani Road. Twenty-three policemen have been charged with the murder of Naqeebullah.

Of the accused, Anwar, Qamar Ahmed, Muhammad Yaseen, Supurd Hussain and Khizar Hayat are on bail while 13, including 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, are in jail in judicial custody.

Seven, including Marwat, 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.

Anwar had claimed that the 27-year-old was a terrorist and was killed with his accomplices during a shoot-out with law enforcers within 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 a terrorist activity but observed that Naqeebullah’s social media profile portrayed him as a liberal and fun-loving young man with a penchant for modelling.

The ATC began the trial in March, 2019. Father of the slain youth, Muhammad Khan, who lodged the complaint against police has passed away. Before his death, he expressed his distrust in the judicial system and the authorities for he was receiving death threats for pursuing the case. The hearing of the case has been adjourned till March 17.