Seven acquitted in Naqeebullah Mehsud murder case over lack of evidence

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Karachi on Saturday acquitted the remaining seven accused in the Naqeebullah Mehsud murder case, citing lack of evidence — bringing the total number of acquittals in the case to 25.

The court acquitted former SHO Amanullah Marwat, Shoaib aka “shooter”, Gada Hussain, Sadaqat Hussain, Riaz Ahmed, Raja Shamim and Mohsin Abbas. Defence lawyer Abid Zaman told the court that not a single witness had testified that Naqeebullah was killed in a fake police encounter.

The prosecution said the seven had been absconding accused who surrendered before the court after the verdict was announced. Eighteen other police officers and personnel — including former Malir SSP Rao Anwar — had already been acquitted in earlier hearings; the January 2023 acquittals cleared Anwar and his co-accused after the prosecution failed to prove the charges.

Mehsud, a native of South Waziristan also known as Naseemullah, was killed in January 2018 in what police described as an encounter in Karachi’s Malir area led by Rao Anwar. An inquiry committee headed by CTD Additional IG Sanaullah Abbasi later confirmed to the Supreme Court that he had been killed in a fake encounter. His killing triggered nationwide protests.