Rao Anwar’s defence wraps up arguments

Court orders rosecution to present final arguments in Naqueebullah case

KARACHI:

The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) is likely to reserve its judgment in the Naqeebullah murder case as the defence wrapped up its arguments on Friday, while the prosecution was directed to present its final arguments.

Naqeebullah Mehsud, a young aspiring fashion model from Waziristan area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, was killed on January 13, 2018 in Karachi during a fake encounter allegedly staged by then SSP Malir District Rao Anwar.

Rao Anwar and others appeared before ATC No. 16 in Central Jail's Anti-Terrorism Complex. Aamir Mansoob Advocate, the counsel for Anwar said that he wanted to draw the court's attention to a very important matter.

The prosecution has not two but four eyewitnesses, named Muhammad Qasim, Hazrat Ali, Sharoob Khan, and Humayun, who have already recorded their statements. Naqeebullah, along with Qasim and Ali, were abducted from Agha Sher Hotel. The prosecution claims that Naqeebullah was abducted on January 4, while one of the eyewitnesses, named Humayun, said that the incident took place on January 3. Humayun also did not mention presence of Rao Anwar in his statement.

The defense counsel pleaded before the court that due to this discrepancy, the case made by the prosecution must be rejected.

Advocate Aamir claimed that Naqeebullah, whose real name was Naseemullah, was a terrorist. Naqeebullah's call data record shows he was present at Al-Asif Square, in Sohrab Goth, on January 4 till 4:30 am, while the prosecution claims that he was abducted on 2:30 a.m. on January 4. "How is this even possible?"

Anwar's counsel said that the CDR proves that his client was neither at Agha Sher Hotel nor at the place where the "encounter" had taken place.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 14^th, 2023.