Suspended SSP Rao Anwar (left), Naqeebullah Mehsud. Photo: File

KARACHI: Suspended SSP Rao Anwar and his subordinates, who were arrested over the extrajudicial killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud, appeared in the anti-terrorism court on Monday, where a new prosecutor was appointed in the case.

According to sources, former prosecutor Ali Raza has excused himself from hearing the case further as he had been receiving threats. Raza had previously failed to appear at case proceedings due to the same reason, sources added.

Therefore, Sindh law department appointed Nazeer Bhangora as the new prosecutor.

Moreover, Naqeebullah’s father Khan Mohammad has appointed Advocate Nadeem has an attorney in the murder case of his son, saying it was not feasible for him to travel to Karachi from South Waziristan for every hearing.

Nadeem would now be appearing in the court over the murder case in place of Naqeebullah’s father.

Besides, bail plea on behalf of three accused, including Yasin, Supurd Hussain and Khizar Hayat, was submitted in the court.

During a previous hearing, suspended DSP Qamar Ahmed, a close aide of Anwar, had filed a bail application in the court.

Anwar and 11 of his subordinates are accused of killing Naqeebullah, a shopkeeper and an aspiring model, and three others during a fake encounter in Karachi’s Malir area earlier in the year.