Karachi court acquits seven more police officers in Mehsud murder case — Dawn
An anti-terrorism court in Karachi, Pakistan, has acquitted seven police officers in the case of the deaths of Naqeebullah Mehsud and three other people during an allegedly staged police operation in January 2018. The judge found insufficient evidence against the defendants after examining witnesses and hearing the parties’ closing arguments, Dawn reports.
Whom the court acquitted
Former station house officers of the Shah Latif Town and Sachal police stations, Amanullah Marwat and Sheikh Muhammad Shoaib, known as Shooter, appeared before the court. The accused also included Assistant Sub-Inspector Gada Hussain, head constables Sadaqat Ali and Mohsin Abbasi, as well as constables Raja Shamim and Rana Riaz Ahmed.
Prosecutor Anila Malik stated that the prosecution had examined more than 40 witnesses, including key witnesses, and that documentary evidence corroborated their testimony. The defence insisted that none of the witnesses had directly linked the defendants to the crime and that there were significant contradictions in the testimony.
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Previous decisions in the case
Initially, the case involved the then senior superintendent of police for Malir district, Rao Anwar, and about two dozen of his subordinates. They were accused of the alleged killing of Mehsud, Muhammad Sabir, Nazar Jan and Muhammad Ishaq, as well as of portraying the deceased as militants.
According to the prosecution, Mehsud and two of his friends were detained by Rao Anwar’s officers in civilian clothes. Two of those detained were later released. A police commission established by the provincial police chief concluded that Rao Anwar and his subordinates were involved in the case.
In January 2023, the court acquitted Rao Anwar and 17 members of his team, giving them the benefit of the doubt. The seven police officers now acquitted had been in hiding during the first trial, later surrendered to the court and were released on bail in April this year.
