ISLAMABAD: Former suspended Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Malir Karachi Rao Anwar, wanted in a fake encounter case, is untraceable by Karachi police despite strict order of the Supreme Court (SC).

A police party has raided his Islamabad residence but he was not found there. The police later pasted a notice with his picture on the gate of the premises.

The deadline given by the top court to apprehend Anwar has passed. While Anwar, who is commonly known as an encounter specialist, is accused of killing Naqeebullah in a staged encounter in Karachi that caused nationwide uproar.

However, Anwar continues to speak to some TV channels to give his side of the story from an undisclosed location. He has now stated that he will approach the apex court.

Former president Asif Zardari refused to answer a question whether or not he supports Anwar. However, real estate mogul Malik Riaz denied that any of his two private planes was ever used by Anwar to flee Pakistan. He said he did not support criminals. Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that he is not aware of the whereabouts of Anwar, saying “no accused is above the law” and added that the Sindh police were striving hard to arrest him, for which all other provincial governments and agencies had been requested to help. “We constituted an inquiry committee, which gave its report within 48 hours and on the recommendations of the committee action was taken in letter and spirit,” Shah told newsmen. To a question, the chief minister said that he didn’t know where Anwar was hiding but said “I know that no accused is more powerful than the law.”

Separately, the three policemen allegedly involved in a Karachi ‘encounter’ resulting in the extrajudicial killing of Naqeebullah were picked out by eyewitnesses during an identification parade on Wednesday.

Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Allahyar, head constable Muhammad Iqbal and constable Arshad Ali were produced before a judicial magistrate in Malir, where two eyewitnesses identified them.

Both witnesses were arrested by Anwar — who is currently on the run — along with Naqeebullah and two of his friends. However, they were both released on Jan.6, while Naqeebullah and three others were killed in a staged encounter on Jan.3.

Muhammad Iqbal told the court that he had performed “general duty” and “stayed at the checkpoint”, but the eyewitnesses told the court that he had been standing right next to the police van when they were arrested.