Chief Justice warns of strict action against Rao Anwar’s facilitators

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Monday warned of taking strict action against anyone found to be facilitating absconding police officer Rao Anwar.

During hearing of suo motu case of murder of Naqeebullah Mehsud, the CJP inquired about the freezing of police officer’s bank accounts. Governor State Bank informed the three-member bench that his two accounts are frozen and that Anwar cannot withdraw money from them.

The SC is seized with the suo motu case of extrajudicial murder of Naqeebullah Mehsud, an aspiring model from South Waziristan, who was abducted and killed by former SSP Malir Rao Anwar’s team in Karachi’s outskirts in January. This cold-blooded murder sparked an outcry over social media and triggered countrywide protests by the tribesmen.

When the hearing resumed, Sindh Police chief A.D. Khowaja informed the court that the former SSP tried to flee the country on January 23.

When the bench sought details of who facilitated the police officer and get the pass issued for him, the IGP said the boarding pass was issued to him by a private airline.

The CJP then directed the Sindh police chief to give in-camera briefing on the CCTV acquired from the airport.

On last hearing in Karachi on Saturday, the apex court had directed IG Sindh to submit progress report about the arrest of former SSP within three days.

The IG Sindh submitted that close circuit footages have been received from the Islamabad airport from where Rao Anwar was trying to flee the country, and requested some time to examine some more footages.

On the query of the Chief Justice about the time he required, the IG Sindh submitted that progress will be made in next two or three days. The Chief Justice directed him to submit the progress report on Monday at Islamabad.