SHC accepted appeals against acquittal of Malir’s SSP and others in Naqeebullah murder case

Karachi: (Staff Reporter) The Sindh High Court (SHC) accepted appeals against the acquittal of Malir’s former senior superintendent of police (SSP) Rao Anwar and others in the Naqeebullah murder case. The high court has issued notice to the prosecutor general of Sindh, directing him to submit reply in four weeks.

According to the source, the appeals were filed by Mehsud’s brother Sher Alam on Feb 20. The petitioner stated Rao Anwar’s acquittal had reflected that evidence was ignored while deciding the case. “This verdict should be nullified,” he added. An anti-terrorism court had, earlier, acquitted Rao Anwar and his subordinates in the high-profile case five years after the gruesome killing.

As per details on Jan 13, 2018, Mehsud, an aspiring model, was murdered in controversial circumstances which led to an outpouring of condemnations on social media and countrywide protests by civil society against Rao Anwar and his team. Rao Anwar was sacked from his post following the probe into the extrajudicial killing in an alleged police encounter.

Meanwhile earlier, as many as 60 witnesses including five eyewitnesses Muhammad Qasim, Hazrat Ali, Sharoob Khan, Humayun and Afsar Khan had recorded their testimonies during the prolonged trial. However, Rao and others, accused in the case on March 25, 2019, claimed their innocence and denied the charges.