The Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Friday took notice of the alleged extrajudicial killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud during an encounter in Karachi and sought a report from IGP Sindh within seven days.
Earlier today, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rao Anwar appeared before a three-member committee in Karachi investigating the killing of four alleged terrorists killed during an ‘encounter’ by a police team in the port city.
A high-level committee, headed by Additional IG CTD Sanaullah Abbasi and comprising DIG East Sultan Khawaja and DIG South Azad Khan, was formed on PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s orders to investigate Naqeebullah’s, a 27-year-old hailing from South Waziristan, killing who was reportedly shot dead in the same encounter.
On January 13, SSP Anwar had claimed to have gunned down four members of the defunct Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in an encounter near Shah Latif Town in Karachi. According to him, Naqeebullah had links with the banned TTP and was living in Karachi’s Sohrab Goth area using a fake name.
However, the family members of Naseemullah alias Naqeebullah claim that he was an aspiring model and was killed in a fake police encounter.
Meanwhile, Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal directed DIG Police South Zone, Karachi, to conduct an inquiry into the matter and submit findings within 15 days after the news of Naqeebullah’s killing spread on the social media and protests were staged in varying parts of the country accusing SSP Anwar of staging fake encounters for personal benefits.
SSP Anwar, also called the ‘encounter specialist’ by some, is known for conducting ‘encounters’ of controversial nature. In the past too, he has claimed to have killed several belonging to banned militant outfits and political party workers with alleged linked with Indian spy agency RAW.
