RAWALPINDI: The Sindh government has sought help of the federal and other provincial governments as well as intelligence agencies for the arrest of Rao Anwar Ahmed Khan, former SSP of Karachi’s Malir district, who has been absconding in an extrajudicial killing case and a terrorism case registered against him.

In a letter to the provincial governments, the commissioner of Islamabad Capital Territory, the home department of Azad Jammu & Kashmir and the government of Gilgit-Baltistan, the Sindh government sought their help to arrest Rao Anwar, who is facing inquiry over the alleged extrajudicial killing of Naseemullah alias Naqeebullah Mehsud.

The Sindh government’s letter also sought help for the arrest of Zareen Dawar, who has been blamed for instigating violence by announcing a bounty on Rao Anwar’s head on social media.

In addition to seeking help from all provincial governments and intelligence agencies, a police team comprising SSP Zulfiqar Mahar, Malir SSP Abid Hussain Qaimkhani, DSP Azal Noor, Inspector Farooq Azam and Raja Masood has been constituted for the arrest of Rao Anwar, Zareen Dawar and their accomplices.

Rao Anwar’s attempt to leave the country had already been foiled by the immigration staff at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport on Jan 23 and his name was later placed on the Exit Control List.

Rao Anwar was prevented from boarding an Emirates Airlines flight EK-615 for Dubai.

Meanwhile, the Sindh government has also asked the Benazir Bhutto International Airport’s authorities to provide the record of the airport’s CCTV footage when Rao Anwar arrived there so that people who facilitated him in his failed bid to leave the country could be identified.

According to sources, the official of a private handling agency, who issued a boarding pass to Rao Anwar, has also been asked by security officials to tell them about the whereabouts of the individual who obtained the boarding card for the police officer from the Emirates Airlines desk at the international passenger departure lounge.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2018