7 accused in Naqeebullah case acquitted

An anti-terrorism court (ATC)on Saturday acquitted seven accused in the Naqeebullah murder case. The court announced its verdict in the case and acquitted the accused, identified as Gada Hussain, Syed Sadaqat, Riaz Ahmed, Raja Shamim Mukhtar, Amanullah, Muhammad Shoaib alias Shooter and Muhammad Mohsin. The accused were already out on bail. According to the prosecution, 18 police officers and personnel, including former SSP Malir Rao Anwar, have already been acquitted in the case. Seven other police officers and personnel, including former SHO Amanullah Marwat, had been declared absconders who later surrendered themselves following an earlier verdict by the anti-terrorism court. Naqeebullah was killed in an alleged police encounter in January 2018. Earlier, the Naqeebullah Murder Case hit a snag in the final stages. The court wrote to the Punjab IGP to ensure attendance of Sargodha district police officer Dr Rizwan Ahmed who was the investigation officer of the case before his transfer. Dr Ahmed was the second investigation officer of the high-profile case before his transfer to Punjab as DPO Sargodha.