Rao Anwar gets clean chit

Move comes after CPO does not submit evidence against SSP to inquiry committee

KARACHI: SSP Rao Anwar, who was facing five serious criminal allegations against him, including land grabbing, has been given a 'clean chit' about a month after he was reinstated. Anwar was suspended in September for arresting Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) - Pakistan's opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly, Khawaja Izharul Hassan.

This development came to the fore after the Sindh government showed Sindh IG Allah Dino Khawaja the door by reportedly sending him on 'forced' leave. The IG was said to be a stumbling block in Anwar's reinstatement. Sources privy to the development said the IG's transfer paved the way for the termination of the inquiry against Anwar.



Multiple inquiry committees were ordered by the Sindh government and Central Police Office (CPO) against the Sindh police's controversial 'encounter specialist' following the arrest of Hassan.

Soon after the arrest, Anwar was suspended and an inquiry was ordered against him by IG Khawaja. Though the inquiry team led by DIG Azad Khan never submitted its report, the government reinstated SSP Anwar on November 19, reportedly on the directives of Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari. "A phone call made the difference. Zardari called the chief minister and asked him to reinstate Rao Anwar," said a senior bureaucrat in the Sindh government. The SSP had been reinstated but not posted anywhere.

Interestingly, after his reinstatement, IG Khawaja, who had taken serious notice of Anwar's suspected activities, ordered another inquiry to probe his involvement in land grabbing, mistreatment of subordinates, supervision of illegal land business, leaking of reports to a newspaper about the raid on Hassan's residence and holding of a press conference in violation of police rules. Nonetheless, he has been given a clean chit in these allegations as well.

Criminal Investigation Agency chief DIG Dr Jameel Ahmed was tasked with conducting the inquiry into these allegations. "I was asked to conduct an inquiry on five allegations against SSP Anwar by the Sindh government recommended by the CPO in the last week of December," DIG Ahmed told The Express Tribune. "I asked the CPO to submit evidence supporting the allegations but the CPO didn't and SSP Anwar was able to produce evidence countering each allegation against him," he explained.

DIG Ahmed said that he did not do any favours for anyone and has done his job in accordance with the law. "I just conducted my inquiry and gave him a clean chit as the complainant did not provide any documentary evidence against Anwar," he said. "It is a wrong impression that SSP Anwar has [been] given clean chit to clear his way for posting."



A source in the police department said that as the Sindh IG had been against SSP Anwar's appointment and giving him a clean chit, now SSP Anwar is likely to be appointed in District Malir or East.

A dispute between IG Khawaja and the PPP leadership had surfaced as the IG was not in favour of giving charge to SSP Anwar in any district. The IG was not in favour of giving him District Malir, which is Anwar's first choice. After Anwar's suspension, his entire team was transferred from District Malir, leaving few chances for his return to the district. At the time, SSP Anwar was reportedly interested in assuming charge of District East.

History

In September, the police had arrested Hassan from his residence in Karachi's Buffer Zone. He was handcuffed and taken away by then Malir SSP Anwar. Anwar was later suspended by the provincial chief minister who said that his methods were 'wrong'. Hassan was released five hours later in a rare move by the Sindh police that triggered a political firestorm. Both the CM and prime minister intervened in the high-profile arrest in a clear effort to ease tensions between the government and MQM.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22^nd, 2016.