'Fake encounter': Rao Anwar remanded in police custody for 30 days

KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court here on Thursday granted 30-day physical remand of  former superintendent of police Rao Anwar, the main suspect behind the death of 27-year-old Naqeebullah Mehsud, for questioning.  

Anwar was produced before the ATC in a case pertaining to the murder of Naqeebullah in a fake encounter in Karachi.

Earlier in the day, Superintendent Police (SP) Malir Abid Kaimkhani, investigation officer of the case, told the court that Anwar will be produced before the administrative judge of anti-terrorism courts for physical remand and he will be presented before the ATC on next hearing.

Upon this,  the ATC judge directed the IO to produce the former SSP Malir before it today and called for a short break.

Anwar, who was at large for nearly two months after a probe team found that Naqeeb was killed in a fake shootout led by him, was taken into custody a day earlier after he surrendered to the Supreme Court.

After his unexpected appearance before the apex court on Wednesday, he was arrested on the directives of Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar and brought to Karachi for trial.

The apex court rejected his request for protective bail and ordered his transfer to Karachi, observing that the law does not allow any concession to a fugitive from justice.

It appointed a joint investigation team comprising officials of the Sindh police to question the police officer.

The court rejected his request for including representatives of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) in the JIT.

The JIT, headed  by Additional IG Aftab Pathan, and comprising Additional IG Waliullah Dal, DIG South Azad Ahmed Khan, DIG East Zulifqar Larak and SSP Dr Rizwan, was formed to probe the charges against him.

The Chief Justice, meanwhile, issued directives for unfreezing his bank accounts and dropped contempt of court charges initiated against Anwar for disobeying the court orders.