KARACHI: An antiterrorism court has directed SSP Dr Rizwan Ahmed to come prepared on Dec 2 (today) for recording his testimony in a case pertaining to the murder of Naqeebullah Mehsud in a ‘staged’ encounter.

SSP Ahmed is the second investigating officer of the case in which former Malir SSP Rao Anwar and his around two dozen subordinates have been charged with killing four persons — Naqeeb Mehsud, Sabir, Nazar Jan and Ishaq — after dubbing them ‘Taliban militants’ in a ‘fake’ encounter on Jan 13, 2018.

The matter came up recently before the ATC-III judge, who is conducting the trial inside the judicial complex inside the central prison, for recording testimony of SSP Ahmed. However, he said that he had received the court’s notice very late and could not prepare himself to record his statement. He requested the judge to grant him time so that he could come prepared for recording his testimony.

Objecting to his request, Rao Anwar’s counsel Amir Mansoob Qureshi said the witness was an educated officer, thus his request to record a written statement was against the law.

The judge granted time to Dr Rizwan till Dec 2 to come prepared for recording his testimony in the case and adjourned the hearing.

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2021