News Analysis |
The police inquiry committee probing the Naqeebullah murder case finished its report on Friday. The 15-page report declared Naqeebullah innocent and the police encounter in which he was killed ‘fake’. The statements of two other people, Qasim and Ali, who were arrested with Naqeebullah were also recorded in the report.
The report states that Naqeebullah and two others were arrested by the police on 3rd January. The two associates of Naqeebullah were set free on 6th January after they bribed Rao Anwar’s team for their release. The two men will now act as witnesses.
The analysts are also of the opinion that the Naqeebullah’s killing will expose further incidents of similar nature and the investigations might uncover the support of some high-ups in the extrajudicial killings of innocents.
According to the report, 26 police shells were found from the site of the encounter but no evidence was found of any retaliatory fire from any of the four victims. The report also contains a statement from the Tehreek-i-Taliban commander, Qari Ahsan, who is imprisoned in the Karachi Central Jail.
Qari Ahsan denied all accusations of Rao Anwar that the suspects killed in the encounter were TTP terrorists. In the report, he also revealed that Rao Anwar had a private torture cell near Guddap police station where more than 45 people were present at any time. The police kill 4 to 5 people in the torture cell from time to time.
Read more: Rao Anwar has the right to a transparent investigation: Bilawal
The report was submitted to Inspector General (IG) Sindh police AD Khawaja. The same report will be presented later to the Supreme Court. The Sindh police are seeking the arrest of the former SSP Malir Rao Anwar. A letter has been sent to IG Islamabad and KP, and a team of Sindh police is likely to depart for Islamabad within 24 hours according to media sources.
News analysts believe that Naqeebullah’s case has exposed the ugly side of the Sindh police and Rao Anwar will be awarded exemplary punishment so that no police officer would abuse the authority given to them.
Naqeebullah Mehsud, whose real name was Naseemullah, was a 27-year-old from South Waziristan. He was murdered in a police encounter on 13th January in Shah Latif Town, Karachi. The police raid, which killed Naqeebullah, was headed by former SSP Malir Rao Anwar who claimed that the suspects were militants of TTP, but family members of Naqeeb rejected the claim and demanded an investigation against the police.
The Supreme Court took a suo moto notice of the killings and the Sindh government formed a police investigation team headed by Counter Terrorism Additional Inspector General Sanaullah Abbasi to probe into the case.
Read more: Rao Anwar’s name placed on Exit Control List
Former SSP Malir Rao Anwar is currently on the run. Media reports claimed that Anwar tried to flee the country on Monday from the Benazir Bhutto International Airport Islamabad. To prevent this his name was placed on the Exit Control List (ECL) after the media reports. He is believed to be hiding in Islamabad or KPK according to police sources.
The report also contains a statement from the Tehreek-i-Taliban commander, Qari Ahsan, who is imprisoned in the Karachi Central Jail.
In a statement issued to the media, Anwar denied all charges against him and claimed that a few police officers hold a grudge against him, which is why they are misdirecting Naqeebullah’s family. He announced that he will soon disclose a strong piece of evidence against the inquiry committee head Sanaullah Abbasi, and demanded the formation of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) headed by intelligence officials.
Read more: Rao Anwar suspended as public anger over Naqeeb’s death grows
News analysts believe that Naqeebullah’s case has exposed the ugly side of the Sindh police and Rao Anwar will be awarded exemplary punishment so that no police officer would abuse the authority given to them. The analysts are also of the opinion that the Naqeebullah’s killing will expose further incidents of similar nature and the investigations might uncover the support of some high-ups in the extrajudicial killings of innocents.