The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted protective bail to suspended SSP Malir Rao Anwar who is accused of extrajudicial killing of one Naqeebullah Mehsud in a fake police encounter in Karachi. Resuming the hearing of a suo motu notice, a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar also asked Rao Anwar to appear before the court on February 16 whereas Sindh and Islamabad police have been asked not to arrest Anwar till his appearance before the court.
Appearing before the bench, Inspector General Police Sindh AD Khawaja said that Intelligence Bureau has made attempts to trace the location of Rao Anwar's cell phone. Expressing dismay over lacklustre performance of police, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar observed if he himself should go with the provincial police chief to arrest the accused, saying no progress has been shown in the current matter.
During the course of proceedings, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar produced the letter of Rao Anwar to Human Rights cell seeking formation of JIT under the apex court to investigate the matter on grounds that he was innocent because he was not present on the spot of occurrence of Naqeebullah's murder. Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar observed that everyone should be given a chance to prove his innocence, however, he said that the court cannot cater to Rao Anwar's request to form JIT at the moment.
AD Khawaja said that the signature on the typed letter is similar to Rao Anwar's. He agreed to the court's view for giving a chance to Anwar to prove his innocence. Appearing before the court, a cousin of Naqeebullah Mehsud, opposed the formation of another JIT in the matter and also read out the letter of Naqeebullah's father who questioned why Rao Anwar has not been arrested so far. He requested the court to ask from heads of ISI and MI about the location of Anwar while claiming that security institutions are aware of Anwar's whereabouts.
To which, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar observed that uncertainty and disappointment about national institutions should not be expressed, adding that Naqeebullah was like his own son. The bench said in its order that the court can consider the request of Anwar to form JIT once it is proved that suspended SSP Malir is the originator of the letter for which he will have to appear before the court on Feb 16.