ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday directed ISI, MI andIB on Thursday to provide support to police in arresting SSP Rao Anwar whois wanted in the Naqeebullah Mehsud murder case.
Proceedings of the Naqeebullah Mehsud murder case suo moto were held at theapex court during which judges asked ISI, MI and IB to support police inapprehending fugitive Rao Anwar.
The proceedings were conducted by a three-member bench headed by the ChiefJustice of Pakistan. The apex court granted IG Sindh 10 days to arrest RaoAnwar and forbid media to broadcast any video or audio message of thesuspect.
“It would be better for Rao Anwar to present himself before the courtotherwise proceedings of contempt would be initiated against him,” remarkedthe bench.
In response to being asked as to when he would produce the suspect beforethe court, IG Sindh AD Khawaja said that he would try to bring Rao Anwarbefore the court the next day.
Naqeebullah’s cousin Noor Rehman questioned the judge as to how witnessescould feel safe when Rao Anwar was still at large.
“You are counted as a Pakistani–whenever you say I will come to FATA,”responded the Chef Justice. “If our limits go to FATA we will provideprotection till there.”
Noor Rahman wondered how Rao Anwar could evade the police and the stateconsidering that he was not as powerful as the aforementioned.
“The apex court had given a deadline of three days to police to arrest RaoAnwar,” complained Noor Rahman.
The chief justice urged Noor Rehman not to return from the courtdisappointed and stressed that the reality was that Rao Anwar had yet notbeen arrested.
The chief justice remarked that when the courts issue judgments in everycase then it is referred to as ‘judicial activism’.
Justice Saqib Nisar urged IG Sindh to take every measure to arrest RaoAnwar and warned that the suspect may flee to another country whenever anopportunity came his way.
“If Rao Anwar is able to escape from the country he will not return forseveral years,” remarked the chief justice. “If he does not return forseveral years, how will we do justice then?”
The chief justice asked IG Sindh whether Rao Anwar was at a place where thepolice could not locate him to which AD Khawaja responded that if thesuspect’s location was disclosed then he could be arrested from anywhere.
“Once the sim is taken out of the phone you cannot put a trace on it,” saidIG Sindh.
The chief justice stated that Rao Anwar was in contact with media viaWhatsApp to which IG Sindh responded that the suspect had turned off hisphones from January 19.