Court orders provision of Rao Anwar’s bail documents to parties

Witnesses in the case prevented from testifying, received threats from others involved

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court directed the petitioner’s counsel to provide documents, relevant to the cancellation of bails of former SSP of Malir, Rao Anwar, and others accused in the Naqeebullah murder case, to the parties. In addition, it ordered investigation officer (IO) Dr Rizwan to ensure attendance at the next hearing of the murder case.

A two-member of SHC, comprising Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro and Justice Abdul Mubeen Lakho, issued the directives during the hearing of pleas challenging the bails granted to the accused in the case. The pleas states that the bails be cancelled as the subordinate court overlooked some of the major legal aspects while granting the bails.

As the hearing commenced, the petitioner’s counsel, Barrister Faisal Siddiqui said, “Rao Anwar was the head of the gang involved in extrajudicial killings.”

The counsel for Anwar, Amir Mansoob, in return, challenged the maintainability of the plea, saying that it has been filed through the attorney.

Rao Anwar files petition seeking removal of name from ECL

There onwards, the court witnessed a slew of rebuttals from both sides, as Siddiqui and Mansoob engaged in a war of words.

According to Siddiqui, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) had acquitted the accused while announcing the verdict on their bail pleas, even when Anwar and others were arrested on the orders of the apex court. He further claimed that witnesses included in the case are being prevented from testifying and many of them have received threats.

Mansoob, on the other hand, argued that how is it possible for Anwar to travel out of the country when he has submitted his passport to the court. At this, Siddiqui countered that while Anwar cannot travel outside Pakistan, ATC has allowed him to travel anywhere inside the country.

In defence of his client, Mansoob further said that evidence proving the murders of 444 persons, allegedly perpetrated by Anwar, is yet to be presented. “Only Nobel Prize can merit the achievements of Anwar,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 21^st, 2019.