News Analysis |
The name of former SSP Malir Rao Anwar has been placed on the Exit Control List (ECL) by the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan after reports emerged that Anwar tried to flee the country. According to reports SSP Rao Anwar tried to board a Dubai bound flight at Islamabad’s Benazir Bhutto International Airport on Monday.
Anwar denied the claims saying that he did not go anywhere and there was fake news on the media regarding him. Rao Anwar is currently under investigation in the Naqeebullah murder case. Anwar allegedly murdered Naqeebullah in a fake encounter on 12th January. According to Naqeebullah’s relatives, he was abducted on 3rd January from Sohrab Goth and later murdered in a fake encounter.
The move to add his name to the ECL was a precaution against his future attempts to flee Pakistan. If he has done nothing wrong then he shouldn’t be afraid of facing the justice system.
The SC had taken a suo moto notice of the case and the hearing will be on Saturday. Inspector General Sindh A.D. Khawaja and provincial advocate general has been ordered to appear before the court. Anwar claims that Naqeebullah was a Tehreek-i-Taliban (TTP) militant but a TTP spokesperson denied Anwar’s claim and declared them baseless.
Read more: Rao Anwar has the right to a transparent investigation: Bilawal
The former SSP denied the allegations that he abducted Naqeebullah or that interrogated him. He clarified that even if the encounter was staged, he had nothing to do with it. Anwar explained that two other police officers whom he has already named in the inquiry committee might have detained Naqeebullah and later killed him. He believes that he might have been misguided by two police officers.
Anwar denied the claims saying that he did not go anywhere and there was fake news on the media regarding him. Rao Anwar is currently under investigation in the Naqeebullah murder case.
The former SSP failed to appear before the police investigators, the National Commission of Human Righs (NCHR) and the Inspector General of Sindh’s office. No attempts have been made so far to arrest the former SSP. The family of Naqeebullah is yet to lodge an FIR but they are expected to do it today.
Read more: Rao Anwar suspended as public anger over Naqeeb’s death grows
It appears that Rao Anwar wants to evade justice after his attempts to flee the country and failure to appear before any investigation committees. The move to add his name to the ECL was a precaution against his future attempts to flee Pakistan. If he has done nothing wrong then he shouldn’t be afraid of facing the justice system.