Memphis Barker: Pakistani police chief accused of leading hit squad that murdered dozens

By Dilip -
A Pakistani police chief accused of leading a hit squad reportedly responsible for 250 extra-judicial killings was prevented from boarding a flight out of the country on Tuesday as investigators probed the death of an aspiring model the police chief claimed to be a member of the Taliban. Dozens of families have come forward since the killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud, 27, to claim that Rao Anwar and his lieutenants murdered their relatives over a 10-year reign in the biggest policing district of Karachi, Pakistan’s business capital.

Officials from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) stopped Anwar at Jinnah airport early on Tuesday. Anwar, along with other police officers, had been accused of serial fake “encounters”, mostly involving Taliban suspects. The father of Naqeebullah, Muhammad Khan, on Tuesday lodged accusations of terrorism, kidnapping and murder against Anwar and his team with Karachi police, the first step towards expected charges being launched in court.

On Sunday, around 1,000 activists and members of the Mehsud tribe held a rally on the outskirts of Karachi, demanding the launch of an enquiry into all the alleged incidents of extrajudicial killing.
“He should be hanged in public,” Sher Pao Mehsud told the Guardian, tearfully flicking through pictures of himself and Naqeebullah at a New Year’s Eve party.

One of those hoping to attach their case to that of Naqeebullah, was 30-year-old Faizullah Khan, who said his best friend was killed by Anwar’s team while in custody seven years ago. He said that since then, while seeking justice, he had been arrested three times, forced to pay a bribe of £3,000 to secure his release, and told to stay out of Karachi for two years. Naqeebullah, whose popular Facebook page boasts modelling shots and videos of himself dancing with friends, was picked up by police on 3 January. According to local news, one of Anwar’s informers had overheard him talking on the phone about receiving money from his brother in Dubai… read more:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/23/pakistani-police-chief-denied-flight-amid-hit-squad-accusations


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