New investigating officer appointed in Naqeebullah murder case

JIT was constituted by the top court following Anwar's surrender

KARACHI: Following the apex court's directives, Sindh Police on late Thursday night appointed District Central SSP Dr Mohammad Rizwan Ahmed Khan as the investigating officer (IO) of the newly-formed Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing allegations against former SSP Rao Anwar in the Naqeebullah murder case.

Anwar, a prime accused in the Naqeebullah murder case, surrendered himself to the Supreme Court (SC) last week and is currently on a 30-day physical remand in Karachi.

On March 21, a three-judge bench headed by CJP Saqib Nisar rejected Anwar's protective bail and ordered the constitution of a five-member JIT team presided over by Sindh AIG Aftab Pathan and comprising of Zulfiqar Larak, Azad Ahmed Khan and Waliullah.

The bench had also dismissed a request made by Anwar's counsel to include intelligence agency officials in the JIT. Informing him that the court shall constitute its own JIT, it directed the team to work independently.

So far, the new JIT has been unable to find the personnel who aided and assisted Anwar to escape and remain in hiding.

During the initial interrogation, the team was unable to gather information on the people who helped him. According to Express News, a member of the JIT, on the condition of anonymity, said that the members were at crossroads during the interrogation because they were unable to properly question Anwar.