Rao Anwar’s tenure in Malir saw 444 accused killed in encounters

KARACHI: At least 444 accused have been killed in police encounters under the tenure former SSP Malir Rao Anwar, according to a police report submitted to the Supreme Court. 

The summary details the number of police encounter cases of District Malir which occurred during the tenure of SSP Rao Anwar. The data has been collected from July 25, 2011, to January 19, 2018.

The report reveals that the during the period, 745 police encounter cases were registered, in 192 cases the accused were killed and in 553 the accused weren’t killed. At least 891 suspects have been arrested in police encounter cases.

However, it is expected that the numbers could be much higher as the data for certain months, during the stated period, is not mentioned in the report. 

Earlier in the day, the inquiry committee probing the Naqeebullah extrajudicial killing case submitted its report to the Supreme Court, which will hear the suo motu case at its Karachi Registry tomorrow.

Naqeebullah Mehsud, a 27-year-old native of Waziristan, was among four suspected terrorists killed in an ‘exchange of fire’ with a police team led by Malir SSP Rao Anwar on January 13 in Shah Latif Town, Karachi.

Following claims of innocence from Naqeebullah's family, an inquiry committee was formed after which Anwar and the raiding police party officials went into hiding. An FIR registered was registered against Anwar and his associates, owing to their no-show and alleged involvement in the case.

In the 15-page report, the inquiry committee headed Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD)Additional IG Sanaullah Abbasi, says that Naqeebullah was picked up from Sohrab Goth on January 3 along with two others. 

Moreover, it has been stated in the report that 26 casings of sub-machine guns in use by the police were recovered from the site of the ‘encounter’ and there was no evidence of firing from the victims — alleged terrorists.

It adds that all the officials involved in the incident have gone into hiding.

Anwar using baseless allegations to evade law: IG 

IG Sindh AD Khawaja, while responding to Rao Anwar's allegations, Thursday said the former SSP Malir is using baseless allegations to evade the law.

Speaking to Geo News, Khawaja said he never gave orders for extrajudicial killings, nor has this been the policy of the Sindh Police.

"My character and career is like an open book," the IG Sindh said, adding that everyone is aware of what is true and what is false.

He asked Anwar to refrain from speaking lies and surrender himself, and appear before the joint investigation team.

Anwar earlier alleged that encounters had been a policy of the Sindh IG, which he followed. The former Malir SSP said this in connection with Naqeebullah killing case.