Naqeebullah murder case: Defence lawyer terms witness statement ‘fabricated’

ATC summons more witnesses after cross-examination

KARACHI:

As an anti-terrorism court (ATC) summoned on Wednesday more witnesses at the next hearing of the Naqeebullah Mehsud murder case, a defence lawyer claimed that the statement of one of the witnesses was 'fabricated.'

ATC-3 was hearing the case at the Karachi Central Jail, where accused former Malir SSP Rao Anwar and others appeared for the hearing.

Abdul Rahim, a witness for the prosecution, recorded his statement and was cross-examined by the defence lawyers.

Interrogating his statement, Amir Mansoob, one of the defence counsels, asked if Rahim had spoken to Shaheen, Uzair, Amjad Taj and current MNA Saifur Rehman and met them on January 1, 2018. Rahim denied this, stating he had only met Rehman and adding that he, Taj and Rehman all belonged to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

The counsel further said Rahim's statement did not say Rehman had received Naqeebullah's body in his presence, to which the witness replied that this was incorrect.

The lawyer then asked if Rahim had submitted any application with reference to the deceased between January 7 and January 24, which the witness again denied.

"Did Rehman tell you that Naqeebullah was picked up 10 days prior?" questioned Mansoob. Rahim responded in the affirmative.

Mansoob further claimed Rahim was lying about the ownership of his family business' location in court, adding that they had encroached on the place.

Following this, the counsel for accused Abbas Town police post in-charge Akbar Mallah questioned Rahim, stating the witness had asked about Naqeebullah again when he went to the checkpoint, but the witness replied he found out about the deceased through social media.

The lawyer raised the point that Rehman's uncle was associated with then-Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan chief Baitullah Mehsud, adding that he was hiding in the area while the police conducted raids.

He then turned to the witness' tribal links, asking if the people who had gone to the checkpost also belonged to the Mehsud tribe. Rahim stated they did.

"ASI Ali Akbar had taken action against many terrorists from the Mehsud tribe, which angered the entire tribe," said the counsel, calling Rahim a 'tool' for senior police officials, which the witness denied. Concluding Rahim's cross-examination, the lawyer claimed his statement was nothing but a fabrication.

Earlier, Mallah's lawyer also cross-examined the medico-legal officer (MLO), asking whether marks appeared on the skin if a person was handcuffed for 10 to 15 days. The doctor replied that this could leave marks on some people, but not all, adding that it depended on the person's skin.

It should be noted that autopsies were conducted for four bodies, including that of Naqeebullah. No signs of torture or handcuffs were found.

The lawyer went on to ask if naswar (snuff) could be mixed in water and inserted in the nose and mouth to create wounds there. The MLO said he did not know, adding that the bodies he examined had no sores in the noses or mouths and did not smell of naswar.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 8^th, 2020.