Police on Sunday assured the family of Waziristan native Naqeebullah Mehsud, who was allegedly killed in a 'fake encounter' in Karachi, that they would be provided security when they travel to the metropolis to appear before an inquiry committee probing the suspected extrajudicial killing.

Naqeebullah and three other suspected terrorists were killed in an 'encounter' with a police team headed by senior superintendent of police Malir Rao Anwar in Karachi's Shah Latif Town area on Jan 13. Police claimed Naqeebullah was affiliated with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.

The killing triggered widespread uproar on the social media as both relatives and friends disputed the police claim, saying that the 27-year-old was a shop owner interested in modelling and had no links with any militant organisation. They said he had been picked up from his clothing shop in Sohrab Goth earlier in January.

A three-member inquiry committee set up to probe Naqeebullah's killing found that he was killed in a "staged encounter" and had no militant tendencies. On Saturday, the committee removed Rao Anwar from his post as SSP.

Read more: Naqeebullah was killed in ‘fake encounter’, had no militant tendencies: police inquiry finds

Anwar, called the ‘encounter specialist’ by some, is known for carrying out 'encounters' of a controversial nature against outlaws. The majority of such cases remain unquestioned, apart from the few where the families of those shot dead move the court or stage protests.

Naqeebullah's family was also summoned to appear before the inquiry committee in Karachi.

Meanwhile, SSP Investigation Malir Abid Qaimkhani has ordered SSP Rao Anwar and SI Aman Ullah, former SHO Shah Latif Town, to appear before him on Monday to record their statement.

Speaking to DawnNews, Additional Inspector General (AIG) Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Dr Sanaullah Abbasi said: "We want the family to appear before the inquiry committee as soon as possible so that a case is registered."

The committee will hold more sessions and new developments will be made, he added.

Speaking to DawnNews, Naqeebullah's cousin Nur Rehman said he had pointed out to the police the security concerns the deceased's family now faces.

After Nur Rehman raised the family's concerns regarding security with AIG Abbasi, the head of the inquiry committee, and District Inspector General East Sultan Khawaja, the family was assured of the provision of security.

Nur Rehman and AIG Abbasi both spoke to Inspector General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Salahuddin Mehsud regarding the provision of security to Naqeebullah's family, which the IG KP assured them of.

Nur Rehman added that the inquiry committee had assured him that justice would be delivered.

Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq, while addressing a press conference in Karachi on Sunday, urged law enforcers to put a stop to 'encounters' and take suspects to court and prove their crimes there.

Siraj said that if Chief Minister Sindh Murad Shah did not punish those who engage in such encounters, he would be regarded as responsible for the deaths that take place.

"Suspensions and transfers [of police officials] are routine matters. A person who has killed 424 people should be taken to the courts... so that no other policeman can kill innocent people," the JI chief said, referring to the suspension of Rao Anwar.

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