The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a review petition filed by former SSP Rao Anwar requesting the court to remove his name from the Exit Control List (ECL).
In January last year, Naqeebullah was killed in a fake encounter carried out by a police team headed by then SSP Malir Rao Anwar in Karachi. The fake encounter sparked countrywide protests against extrajudicial killings in the country.
A three-member bench led by Justice Ijazul Ahsan told Anwar, who is facing judicial proceedings for alleged involvement in at least 444 extrajudicial murders, to approach a relevant forum for removal of his name from the no-fly list.
The apex court also asked the former police officer to file a new application if he wanted relief from the courts.
The counsel representing the former Karachi cop said that the trial against Anwar was underway in a trial court in the metropolis and his client was appearing before the court at every hearing.
Anwar was placed on the ECL till further order on the directives of the court, Justice Ijaz said, adding that it was not a bail application that the SC could accept.
In January last year, the Sindh High Court (SHC) had dismissed former SSP Malir Rao Anwar’s plea seeking exemption from attendance in the Naqeebullah murder case. Justice Sheikh had remarked that “would it not be discrimination against others if Rao Anwar is excused from attending court proceedings?”
