Rao Anwar remains at large as SC deadline expires
January 30, 2018
KARACHI: Sindh Police have yet to arrest suspended Malir SSP Rao Anwar in connection to the Naqeebullah Mehsud killing case as the three-day deadline given by the Supreme Court expires today.
Naqeebullah, a 27-year-old native of Waziristan, was among four suspected terrorists killed in an ‘exchange of fire’ with a police team led by 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 was registered against Anwar and his associates, owing to their no-show and alleged involvement in the case.
The committee, headed by Counter-Terrorism Department Additional IG Sanaullah Abbasi, submitted its report on the case to the Supreme Court on Friday, which stated that Naqeebullah was killed in a 'fake encounter' with the police.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sindh AD Khawaja Sunday wrote a letter to intelligence agencies, seeking their help in arresting Anwar.
The Sindh IGP has requested the intelligence agencies to provide technical and intelligence assistance.
The letter read that Anwar reached Islamabad through a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight on the morning of January 20 and attempted to flee to Dubai on January 23, but was barred from doing so by immigration officials.
Speaking to the media outside the Supreme Court on Saturday, after the apex court's 72-hour deadline, IG Khawaja had said: “I think that he [Rao Anwar] should face the court. The court will listen to his legal arguments.”
Responding to a question about the court's deadline, Khawaja remarked: “We will try our best to arrest him.”
Anwar was present on site of 'encounter'
An analysis of cellular data has confirmed Anwar was present at the scene of the ‘police encounter’ where Mehsud was killed along with three others.
A technical analysis of Call Detail Records (CDRs) of the cell numbers in use of Anwar and his eight associates shows that the police officials were present at the scene of the encounter, an investigative report on the incident revealed on Saturday.
Among Anwar’s associates present at the scene were ASI Khair Muhammad, SI Muhammad Anar, ASI Gada Hussain, SI Amanullah Marwat, SI Shoaib, HC Faisal Mehmood, HC Mohsin Abbass and PC Raja Shamim, the report stated.
