KARACHI: The anti-terrorism court (ATC) which is hearing the Naqeebullah Mehsud killing case will frame charges against the accused at the next hearing, media reported.
Naqeebullah Mehsud, a 27-year-old native of Waziristan, was among three others who were accused of terrorism and killed on the orders of Malir SSP Rao Anwar, in what was later termed a ‘fake encounter’.
The suspended SSP was also brought to court today in high security, as were the other 12 accused. The investigating officer was also present in the court.
Moreover, the victim’s family submitted a petition citing their reservations over Anwar’s detention in the Multan Lines in Malir Cantt instead of the central prison.
On the other hand, the suspects’ counsel pointed out that the copy of the case is incomplete. The court ordered that complete documents should be submitted to the suspects’ lawyers.
Arguments pertaining to the provision of B-class jail facilities to Anwar and Anwar’s bail plea will be heard in the next hearing.
On Saturday, Anwar had filed his bail petition, stating that geo-fencing and joint investigation reports and charge-sheet have contradictory information.
The case hearing has been adjourned until May 19.
Witness changes statement
Moreover, a witness in the case Constable Shahzada Jahangir also changed his statement. In a new statement submitted to the court by Anwar’s counsel, Siddiqui said that he wasn’t present at the incident site on January 13.
“I was posted in Memon Goth on February 10. On February 17, I was called to the SP office. When I went on February 18, I was arrested. My statement was recorded after threatening me,” Jahangir says in the statement.
Jahangir had been named as one of the witnesses in the case challan. The IO said that Jahangir was a part of the team which conducted the operation against Naqeebullah and others.
The witness had testified to Rao Anwar’s presence at the incident site, the IO added.
Fake encounter challan submitted to court
During the case proceedings, the charge-sheet (challan) over the fake encounter was submitted to the court.
The challan, which has been filed under the complaint of SP Investigation Abid Qaimkhani, states that the suspects killed Naqeeb in a fake encounter. The investigation has proven that the shootout was staged.
The challan states that Anwar and his aide, former DSP Qamar Ahmed Shaikh, have been arrested in the case. The challan includes names of SSP central among 28 other witnesses.
‘Absconders will be arrested soon’
While speaking to the media after the hearing, investigating officer SSP Dr Rizwan said that those absconding in the case will be arrested soon.
“We have submitted a copy of the FIR to the suspects,” he shared.
Dr Rizwan remarked that government has the authority to keep Anwar in a sub-jail. “We have just implemented the government’s orders,” he added.
Higher authorities will take the decision pertaining to change in the investigation officer, he said further.
Interim charge-sheet submitted
On Friday, police had submitted interim charge sheets against Anwar and others to the ATC in a case pertaining to foisting weapons and explosives upon Mehsud and three other victims.
Anwar and DSP Shaikh along with their 10 absconding subordinates have been booked in the second case for foisting pistols and hand grenades upon Naqeeb and three others after killing them in a staged shoot-out on January 13 in Shah Latif Town.
The IO charge-sheeted detained Anwar and Shaikh and showed three former SHOs Amanullah Marwat, Shoaib Shaikh, alias Shooter, Annar Khan and seven other policemen as absconders in the interim reports.
