Chairman of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Sunday said that removed Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rao Anwar should have a fair trial in Naqeebullah Mehsud killing probe. Addressing a press conference at the Bilawal House, the PPP Chairman made it clear that he condemns 'police encounters' anywhere in Pakistan; however, police official too has right to a fair trial, he said responding to a question.
Rao Anwar, who is widely known as 'encounter specialist,' has been facing departmental probe after he was removed over killing of Naqeebullah in a 'fake' encounter on January 13. The inquiry committee has also asked the government to name Rao in Exist Control List (ECL).
Rao who had been working as SSP Malir for the last several years with brief intervals claimed to have killed over 200 terrorists and criminals in various encounters during the period. Sources in provincial government said Rao has been close to the PPP leadership and had always preferred to serve that 'one man' in Malir district of the metropolis. During the period, he also faced inquiries and was served contempt notices from the courts, but interestingly nothing was proved against him.
It may be mentioned here that Naqeebullah was reportedly picked up by cops in plainclothes from Sohrab Goth on January 3. However, on January 13, Rao claimed to have gunned down four alleged terrorists in a police encounter in Shah Latif Town. Later, it was revealed that among them was one Naseemullah alias Naqeebullah, 27, who originally hailed from South Waziristan Agency. Naqeebullah's killing triggered massive anger across the city, and it was termed as 'extra judicial' murder. On the other hand, Rao had said a kidnapping for ransom case had been registered against Naqeebullah in 2014. "Why the deceased's family did not lodge case in police station, if he disappeared on January 3," asked official while taking to the media.
In September 2016, Rao was suspended after he raided house of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Khawaja Izharul Hasan who is also opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly, and arrested him for alleged links with terrorists. An inquiry was initiated against him. But, after a few months, he was reinstated. Bilawal said PPP would soon launch membership drive ahead of General Elections 2018. He said that the party wants an end to the politics of hatred and induction of youth in PPP.
The PPP chairman launched the membership drive of his Party and invited all the progressive Pakistanis, especially the youth and women to fill the membership form and join the ideology working for a peaceful, progressive and prosperous Pakistan. Secretary General PPP Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, presidents of PPP Sindh and Balochistan chapter Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and Haji Ali Madad Jattak, Senator Sherry Rehman, Maula Bux Chandio, MNA Nafisa Shah, Nasir Hussain Shah, Waqar Mehdi and others were also present at the presser.
Elaborating the membership drive, Bilawal said that door-to-door membership campaign would be conducted and for that camps and also by utilization of modern communication technology of internet and cellular modes. A website and SMS will also offer membership options to reach out to the Pakistanis, whose massive majority was against extremism and politics of hatred. PPP Chairman said that membership drive has been designed to reduce gap between him and the workers adding that following the successful completion of the drive he would be able to communicate directly with the workers and the members through the modern communication means.
Bilawal said that PPP launched BISP in the centre and now the Sindh government has started anti-poverty programme at Union Councils level where lending of interest-free loans to rural poor especially the women has pulled 600,000 families out of poverty in some districts. 18th amendment, devolution of powers and NFC Award were also enacted in a bid to discourage extremism and promote democratic values. He said that under the philosophy of service-oriented politics, PPP provided state-of-the-art health facilities including free heart treatment at four Satellite Hospitals of NICVD in Hyderabad, Tando Mohammad Khan, Larkana and Sehwan Sharif.
He called upon the people to join the service-oriented positive politics and show the door to politics of negativity and insults being promoted by the parties fighting for a particular area of GT Road.