Naqeebullah Mehsud murder case turns over with eyewitnesses disowning statements

Karachi: The Naqeebullah Mehsud murder case took a new turn after key witnesses and eyewitnesses disowned his statement, a private news channel reported on Tuesday.

The hearing of the Naqeebullah Mehsud murder case was held at an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Karachi, in which former SHO Amanullah Marwat, Shoaib shooter, and others were presented before the court.

As per the report, the case took a new turn as key witnesses Head Constable Raja Jahangir deviated from his earlier statements and denied recognizing the seven accused during the hearing.

Key witness Jahangir stated in his testimony that he was forced to give a false statement, and under pressure from higher authorities, he signed the police-written statement.

Upon the witness’s deviation, the prosecution requested to retract the witness’s name from the case.

The prosecution revealed that former SSP Malir Rao Anwar and 18 police officers and officials, including Amanullah Marwat and seven others, were acquitted while the accused were absconding.

However, the accused surrendered themselves after the ATC’s decision; Shoaib Shooter is still on bail; and six accused, including Amanullah Marwat, were arrested.

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The defense lawyer objected to retracting the witness’s name, stating that the witness’s name cannot be retracted from the case and that directions should be given regarding the correction of the witness’s statement.

Later, the hearing in the Naqeebullah murder case was adjourned until May 4.

Naqeebullah Mehsud Murder Case

Naqeebullah Mehsud, age 27, was killed on January 13, 2018, in Karachi during a ‘staged police encounter’ in Malir district.

Mehsud, an aspiring model and a textile factory worker, was fatally shot along with three other people during what police described as a raid on a hideout of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) armed group on January 13, 2018.

Mehsud’s family and the TTP denied that the 27-year-old was a member of the group.