Manzoor Ahmed Pasheen, head of Pashtun Protection Movement has announced for a worldwide protest on 25 January against the acquittal of Rao Anwar, the killer of Naqeeb Masood, an aspiring model who was murdered in controversial circumstances, triggering an outpouring of condemnations on social media and countrywide protests by civil society against Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Malir Rao Anwar and his team.
Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Court acquitted all the accused including former SSP Rao Anwar while pronouncing the verdict in the Naqeebullah murder case yesterday. It took 5 years to complete the hearing. It sparked off a debate regarding fake contests and particularly criticism of former SSP Malir Rao Anwar, who was linked to the case.The court stated that the prosecution has failed to prove its case against the accused.On Sunday, family members of the slain man and civil society representatives gathered in front of the Karachi Press Club to demand strict punishment for former SSP Anwar and his team ahead of the court judgement.
A case had been registered against former SSP Rao Anwar and about 2 dozen of his subordinates on 13 January 2018, for killing Naqeebullah and 3 others in a fake police encounter by calling them ‘Taliban militants’. In March 2019, the court acquitted Rao. Anwar and 17 of his subordinates were indicted for the murder of 4 people in the suburbs of Karachi.