Ex-SHO among seven indicted in Naqeebullah murder case

An anti-terrorism court in Karachi Tuesday framed charges against seven police personnel, including former station house officer (SHO) Amanullah Marwat, in a high-profile case related to the killing of aspiring model Naqeebullah Mehsud in a “staged encounter”.

“Encounter specialist” and former Malir SSP Rao Anwar along with his team gunned down Mehsud — a 27-year-old native of South Waziristan —and three others on January 13, 2018, dubbing them militants affiliated with a banned outfit. The alleged “police encounter” had triggered an outpouring of condemnations on social media and countrywide protests by civil society against Anwar and his team.

Then-army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa had met Mehsud’s father and assured him of justice. However, the court had acquitted Anwar and 18 others in the Mehsud murder case last year.

During the course of today’s proceedings, the ATC summoned all the witnesses on the next hearing as the accused denied all the charges. Those indicted in the case include Gada Hussain, Sadaqat Hussain, Riaz Ahmed, Raja Shamim, Abbas and Shoaib.

According to the prosecution, six of the accused, including the former SHO, were in police custody while one named Shoaib alias “shooter” was enjoying bail.

The case 

Anwar had declared Naqeebullah a terrorist after news of the fake encounter aired on television on January 18, 2018. 

A case on the incident was filed on the next day (January 19), while Anwar was suspended from duty the next day.

The Supreme Court had ordered Anwar to appear on January 27, but the suspended SSP remained on the run for at least two months.

Cases have been filed against 24 accused in the murder case of Naqeebullah. Out of the count, 11 had been arrested while 13 others were absconding.

A Joint Investigation Team (JIT) formed under the directives of the Supreme Court found the suspended Malir SSP responsible for the killing of Mehsud and three others in an alleged encounter in Karachi.

The use of geo-fencing technology has established Anwar's presence at the time of the incident.

He was also present with Naqeebullah when the youth was arrested, and where he was kept during captivity, sources close to the JIT had revealed.