KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) granted bail to former SSP Malir Rao Anwar on Tuesday in the Naqeebullah Mehsud murder case.
Approving the former SSP Malir’s bail plea, the ATC directed him to pay Rs1 million in bail bonds.
Anwar, along with 11 of his subordinates, was facing trial before the ATC for allegedly killing Mehsud, a shopkeeper and aspiring model from South Waziristan, and three others in a staged encounter on January 13 in Malir.
Another case was registered against Anwar for possession of explosives and illegal weapons. He is yet to be granted bail in that case.
The ATC had reserved its verdict on Anwar’s bail petition on July 5.
During the July 4 hearing of the case, Anwar’s counsel, Amir Mansoob Qureshi, had argued in court that his client was not present at the crime scene.
The judge had asked the counsel, “The victims were shot from inside a room and from the back. How come they were not shot from the front during the encounter?” To this, the former SSP Malir’s counsel said, “Anwar was neither involved in catching Naqeebullah nor in the encounter.”
Qureshi had concluded his arguments after three hours following which the complainant’s counsel, Salahuddin Panhwar, presented his arguments before the ATC. Talking to reporters after the hearing, Anwar had said he was satisfied with the court proceedings and was awaiting the next step on his bail plea.
