Will be proven innocent in Naqeebullah murder case: Rao Anwar

KARACHI: Former SSP Malir Rao Anwar, on Thursday, said he will be proven innocent in the Naqeebullah Mehsud murder case.

Anwar and 11 of his subordinates are accused of killing Naqeebullah, a shopkeeper and an aspiring model, and three others during a fake encounter in Karachi’s Malir area earlier in the year.

The former Malir SSP was speaking to journalists outside theanti-terrorism court (ATC) in Karachi, where he appeared for the hearing of the case.

Anwar claimed thatrecord was available that proves that he neither caught Naqeebullah nor killed him.

The accused said evidence against him was not available. "I have been nominated in thewrong case," he said, adding that the case against him was taken up due to professional jealousy.

Anwar further said that his phone number mentioned in the Joint Investigation Team report was incorrect. He added that records of the phone number mentioned in the report show it was used in Karachi on March 21, while he was in Islamabad for a Supreme Court hearing on the said date.

After lawyers representing Naqeebullah’s father Khan Muhammad failed to appear for today's hearing, the court gave them the final chance to present their arguments.

The hearing was then adjourned till July 4.