SHC approves transfer of cases against Rao Anwar to another court

KARACHI: Sindh High Court on Monday granted a petition seeking transfer of two cases against former SSP Rao Anwar to another court.

A bench of the high court heard a plea filed by the father of Naqeebullah Mehsud, who was killed in extrajudicial killing in Karachi.

Petitioner’s counsel Faisal Siddiqui in his arguments on the petition before the court said that the Anti-Terrorism Court II could not be trusted. He said the court gave extraordinary concessions to Rao Anwar and other accused.

The accused were released on bail despite objections, the counsel said. He said the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) amended its decision twice in a day.

The counsels of the accused of the extrajudicial killing said it make no difference for them, which court hears the case. They pleaded that the case should not be heard in an ATC.

Earlier, an ATC issued release orders for former Malir Senior Superintendent Police Rao Anwar after he was granted bail on July 10 in cases registered against him in connection with the extrajudicial killing of a youth Naqeebullah Mehsud.

Rao Anwar was detained at his Malir house, which was declared sub-jail.

On January 13, Rao Anwar had claimed to have shot dead four members of the defunct Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in an encounter near Shah Latif Town in Karachi.

Family members of one of the killed suspects, Naqeebullah Mehsud, claimed that he was killed in a fake encounter, triggering widespread public outrage.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar then took suo motu notice of the killing of 27-year-old man in an alleged fake encounter and sought a report from the IG Sindh within seven days.