KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples’ Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari announced on Thursday that he had directed Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal to conduct an inquiry into the murder of Naqeebullah, a resident of South Waziristan.
SSP Malir Rao Anwar claimed to have shot dead four terrorists, including Naqeebullah, affiliated with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, in a police encounter at Shah Latif Town.
However, acquaintances and relatives of the deceased disputed the claim and termed the incident an extrajudicial murder.
SSP Anwar claimed that the police raided the terrorists’ hideout on a tip-off. The suspects fired on police and threw hand grenades, he said, adding that in the exchange of fire all four terrorists were killed.
He also claimed that among the suspects was a gunman of late TTP chief Hakeemullah Mehsud and notorious Lashkar-e-Jhangvi terrorist Maulvi Ishaq.
A committee, comprising Inspector General Police (IGP) Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Sanaullah Abbasi and DIGs South and East, was formed on Thursday, on the directives of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, to investigate the incident.
A notification issued by the office of provincial inspector general police said that the committee was mandated to “assess the genuineness of encounter” and “dig out profile of the deceased”, and directed to submit its findings within three days.
Published in Daily Times, January 19th 2018.
