ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the premier intelligence agencies namely the Inter-Services Intelligence, Military Intelligence, the Federal Investigation Agency and other law enforcement agencies to furnish their reports about the fugitive police officer from Karachi, Rao Anwar.

A three-judge Supreme Court bench had taken suo motu notice of the tragic murder of 27-year-old Naqeebullah Mehsud from South Waziristan who was killed during a police raid in Karachi on Jan 13. His murder sparked an outcry in the social media when his family members rejected claims that Mehsud was a member of the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.

At the last hearing on Feb 16, the SC had issued a show-cause notice to SSP Malir Rao Anwar for committing contempt of court by not surrendering before it despite extending a fair chance. The law enforcement agencies were also ordered by the court to locate his whereabouts and arrest him.

On Monday Inspector General Sindh Allah Dino Khowaja in a report had conceded before the court that the investigation team had made sincere efforts to locate and arrest the nominated accused Anwar Ahmed and even had requested ISI, MI and the Intelligence Bureau to extend cooperation in tracing out the location of Rao Anwar and other accomplices through their available mobile phone numbers and WhatsApp activity.

Moreover request was also moved to DG FIA to locate and search for the absconding accused and issuance of Interpol warrants in response of which Blue Notices have also been issued by Secretariat General ICPO Interpol, Lyon, France against Rao Anwar.

The report also admitted that FIR has been registered against 24 police officers but only 10 nominated accused have been arrested from DSP Qamar Ahmed Sheikh to sub-inspectors, assistant sub-Inspectors, head constables, police constables etc.

The investigation officer of the case has submitted an interim charge sheet before the administrative judge antiterrorism courts, Sindh High Court, on March 1, which has been referred to ATC-II Karachi for trial.

“Apart from Rao Anwar, there are 13 other police officers absconding from the rank of PC, HC, ASI, SI. It is unbelievable that the entire police force and intelligence network of Pakistan cannot locate them,” wondered senior counsel Faisal Siddiqi while talking to Dawn.

The counsel who appeared on behalf of the father of Naqeebullah pleaded before the court to order for the CCTV footage, also expressing reservations that Rao Anwar was getting facilitation by certain quarters.

But the chief justice observed that the court does not wish to take charge of the efforts to locate Rao Anwar.

In his report IG Sindh had also mentioned about his letter to the Airport Security Force requesting for the provision of CCTV footage of cameras installed at the Jinnah International Airport Karachi and Benazir Bhutto International Airport Islamabad covering the movement of passengers right from the entrance to the airport till departure by the aircraft including for Jan 20, 2018.

The court also deplored that it allowed Sindh police to seek assistance from law enforcement agencies and yet the suspect has not been arrested.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2018