ISLAMABAD: The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has given new timeline to both Pakistan and India for filing another round of memorials in the case of convicted Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, sources have revealed to The Express Tribune.

Sources revealed that the ICJ has set April 17 for India to file another memorial, while Pakistan will have to submit a counter memorial by July 17.

In view of the timeline, they also informed that there is little chance that the hearing of the case will resume in 2018, adding that the two-month summer vacations of ICJ judges will start in August, and when it ended, the court will take up cases that have already been fixed before it.
Earlier, New Delhi sought time to file an additional memorial at the ICJ. Legal experts are, however, wondering why India is trying to unnecessarily drag the matter.

While submitting a 1,700-page counter memorial in the ICJ on December 13 last year, Pakistan rejected the Indian objection of not giving consular access to Jadhav, saying the provision of such access under the Vienna Convention is only for legitimate visitors, and not spies.

Pakistan said that since India did not deny that Jadhav was travelling with an assumed Muslim name, they have no case to plead.

India has repeatedly sought consular access to Jadhav, but Pakistan has turned down its requests, citing a bilateral accord that does not permit such access to spies.

However, on December 25, Islamabad allowed Jadhav’s mother and wife to meet with him on purely humanitarian grounds.

It was learnt that the government has also sought legal assistance from two top lawyers of the country. The initial memorial was drafted by Khawar Qureshi.

According to sources, Pakistan stated in the memorial that India did not explain how a serving naval commander, operating under India’s spy agency – Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) – was travelling under an assumed name. This leads to only one conclusion, that India seeks consular access to the information he [Jadhav] had gathered, it added.

It said since Jadhav was on active duty, it is obvious that he was a spy sent on a special mission.

“Only a state that adheres to legitimate actions can request the court to intervene in a matter between two states. A state which does not come with clean hands cannot get any relief,” Pakistan contended.

Pakistan further said that sending Jadhav for espionage and funding terrorist activities were some of the reasons that disentitle India from invoking jurisdiction of the ICJ.

Sources said Pakistan also highlighted constant violations of human rights by India in occupied Kashmir. It said India is a habitual violator of human rights and has not honoured the UN resolutions on Kashmir.

“Giving false identity to Kulbhushan, sending him for espionage and funding of terrorists activities are all some of the reasons which disentitle India from invoking the jurisdiction of the ICJ,” said the counter memorial according to a source. The ICJ will decide the schedule of hearing within 15 days.

On September 13 last year, India submitted a 22-page memorandum wherein it objected to Jadhav being tried by a military court in Pakistan.

The sources said India contended that Jadhav’s trial should have been conducted by a civilian court and that Pakistan was bound to give him consular access.

The federal government has already appointed former chief justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani as an ad hoc judge for the case at The Hague.

Legal experts are urging all stakeholders to increase coordination in devising the final draft of the memorandum.

The ICJ on May 18 last year halted the execution of Jadhav, who was sentenced to death by a military court on April 10 after being convicted on charges of terrorism and espionage.

Jadhav alias Hussain Mubarak Patel was apprehended on March 3, 2016, after he illegally crossed into Pakistan via Iran border.

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto said on Sunday that he was against police encounters anywhere in the country, adding the trend was not a solution to anything.

“I demand [a complete] ban on such encounters in the country because terrorism can’t be curbed with such policies,” Bilawal said while addressing a news conference in connection with the launch of the party’s membership drive.

At the same time, Bilawal said that former Malir SSP Rao Anwar also has the right to a transparent investigation.

The PPP chairman also ruled out the possibility of delay in the Senate election scheduled for March. “The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz will be given another jolt in the upcoming election on half-of-the-seats of the upper house.”

Bilawal urged people, especially youth and women, to fill the membership form and join the ideological force working for a peaceful, progressive and prosperous Pakistan.

Elaborating the membership drive, Bilawal said that the membership campaign will be conducted door-to-door, through camps and also by utilisating modern communication technology like the internet and cellular modes.

A website: www.pppmember.com and SMS, will also offer membership options to reach out to the masses, whose massive majority was against extremism and politics of hatred, he added.

The PPP chairman said that the membership drive has been designed to reduce the gap between him and party workers, adding that following the successful completion of the drive he would be able to communicate directly with the workers and the members through the modern communication means.

Bilawal said the PPP launched the BISP in the center and now the Sindh government has started anti-poverty programme at Union Council levels where lending of interest-free loans to the rural poor, especially the women has pulled 600,000 families out of poverty.

He said the 18th Amendment, devolution of powers and NFC Award were also enacted in a bid to discourage extremism and promote democratic and democracy values.

He said, “Under the philosophy of service-oriented politics, we have provided state-of-the-art health facilities including free heart treatment at four Satellite Hospitals of NICVD in Hyderabad, Tando Mohammad Larkan and Sehwan Sharif.”

KARACHI: The inquiry committee officials on Sunday accused SSP Rao Anwar of not cooperating with them, while the officer claimed that a conspiracy was being hatched against him.

Inquiry committee officials said Anwar has been called multiple times to produce evidence against Naseemullah and to prove his own innocence, but the SSP was not cooperating with the committee and has still failed to prove that Naseemullah was a terrorist.

SSP Anwar and his team are currently facing a departmental inquiry for conducting an alleged fake encounter in the Shah Latif Town area of Karachi on January 13, in which four men they claimed were militants were killed. One of the dead was Naseemullah.
According to witnesses and relatives, Naseemullah was abducted on January 3 from the Sohrab Goth area of the port city.

Sindh Inspector-General of Police Allah Dino Khawaja constituted a three-member inquiry committee headed by CTD Additional IG Sanaullah Abbasi after the family of the victim claimed that Naseemullah was killed in an extrajudicial killing.

On the other hand, Anwar alleged that a conspiracy was being hatched against him. “The inquiry committee formed against me is not transparent and all the members of the committee are against me,” claimed the SSP.

Anwar said that he made multiple attempts to reach out to the committee members but they were refusing to meet him. He said that the SHO and his police party conducted an encounter, but oddly the inquiry being conducted is against him. He added that he always owned any encounters in front of the media to protect his officers.

Meanwhile, a meeting has also been scheduled at the Central Police Office for Monday (today) where besides police officials, representatives of human rights will also hear the version of SSP Anwar.

On the other hand, it was reported that the former District Malir police chief is likely to be arrested, along with his team, over the ‘extrajudicial killing’ of Naseemullah, alias Naqeebullah Mehsud, who hailed from South Waziristan.

Besides SSP Anwar, Malir Investigations SP Malik Altaf Sarwar, Shah Latif SHO Amanullah Marwat and his team members, including ASI Gada Hussain, Head Constable Sadaqat Hussain Shah, Mohsin Abbas and constables Raja Shamim Mukhtar and Rana Riaz Ahmed, have already been suspended on the recommendations of the committee. The committee has also recommended putting SSP Anwar and SP Sarwar’s names on the ECL to ensure a fair and transparent inquiry.

During its investigations, the committee also visited the crime scene. Their visits have suggested that SSP Anwar’s claims were incorrect.

The committee also questioned the imprisoned militants who denied having any links with the deceased. The inquiry committee believes that Naseemullah who was wanted by the police was another guy.

Now, the inquiry team is waiting for the arrival of Naseemullah’s heirs from DI Khan to register a murder case against SSP Anwar and his team.

Police commandoes have also been provided to the family to address their security concerns, said a senior police officer privy to the matter. He added that the police can itself register a case if the family refuses to do it.

“Anwar and his team members are likely to be arrested tonight or the tomorrow,” warned an official.

Meanwhile, SHOs of at least 13 police stations of Malir have been removed from their posts by the Sindh Additional IG. They include Sohrab Goth SHO Shoaib Sheikh alias Shoaib Shooter, Malir City SHO Rana Haseeb, Malir Cantt SHO Rana Dilshad, Memon Goth SHO Gulzar Tunio and Steel Town SHO Ghulam Mujtaba.

Other officers on the radar

Interestingly, officers from the rank of constable to SP have also been posted in District Malir on SSP Anwar’s recommendations. The police higher-ups are also are also investigating whether they had any role in helping Anwar in conduct fake encounters, land grabbing and other illegal activities.

Two more SPs– Malir SP Dr Najeeb Ahmed, Gadap SP Iftikhar Lodhi- and about two dozen DSPs, SHOs and head muharars are also on the police’s radar and are likely to be suspended, transferred or arrested.

In-charge of Abbas Town police post Ali Akbar Mallah, who is believed to be the main officer behind the abduction of Naseemullah from a hotel, SI Khair Muhammad (SSP Anwar’s alleged ‘collector’), SI Din Muhammad Mallah and ASI Waqar, who allegedly deals with the illegal ‘reti-bajri’ (construction material) business are also on the radar of the police higher-ups.

The top cops are also looking for SSP Anwar’s ‘encounter specialists’ team. Those being looked for are al-Asif Square police post in-charge Ahsan Marwat, former Shah Latif SHO Amanullah Marwat, Gadap City SHO Khan Zaman, Tariq alias Shankar posted to SSP Malir office, former Site Super Highway SHO Anar Khan, Head Muharir SITE Super Highway Faisal alias Bali. It is believed that these police officers played a role in conducting in every second ‘fake encounter’ with the SSP.

Apart from the criminal activities, the police high ups are also investigating SSP Anwar’s involvement in money laundering and obtaining properties worth millions within the country or outside the country. It is expected that the SSP’s case may be moved to the National Accountability Bureau.

The Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Friday took notice of the alleged extrajudicial killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud during an encounter in Karachi and sought a report from IGP Sindh within seven days.

Earlier today, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rao Anwar appeared before a three-member committee in Karachi investigating the killing of four alleged terrorists killed during an ‘encounter’ by a police team in the port city, said Express News.

A high-level committee, headed by Additional IG CTD Sanaullah Abbasi and comprising DIG East Sultan Khawaja and DIG South Azad Khan, was formed on PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s orders to investigate Naqeebullah’s, a 27-year-old hailing from South Waziristan, killing who was reportedly shot dead in the same encounter.

On January 13, SSP Anwar had claimed to have gunned down four members of the defunct Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in an encounter near Shah Latif Town in Karachi. According to him, Naqeebullah had links with the banned TTP and was living in Karachi’s Sohrab Goth area using a fake name.

However, the family members of Naseemullah alias Naqeebullah claim that he was an aspiring model and was killed in a fake police encounter.

Meanwhile, Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal directed DIG Police South Zone, Karachi, to conduct an inquiry into the matter and submit findings within 15 days after the news of Naqeebullah’s killing spread on the social media and protests were staged in varying parts of the country accusing SSP Anwar of staging fake encounters for personal benefits.

SSP Anwar, also called the ‘encounter specialist’ by some, is known for conducting ‘encounters’ of controversial nature. In the past too, he has claimed to have killed several belonging to banned militant outfits and political party workers with alleged linked with Indian spy agency RAW.

Who was Naqeebullah Mehsud?

Talking to The Express Tribune earlier, Rehman Mehsud, a cousin of Naqeebullah described him as a handsome young lad with attractive features.

A father of three, Naqeebullah, used to religiously post his photos on social media, receiving likes and comments from friends and others, added Rehman.

KARACHI: At least one person was killed and six others were wounded when unidentified armed men hurled a hand grenade at a cloth market in Kharadar area of Karachi on Thursday.

Police and Rangers reached the site of the attack near Akhwan Masjid Kharadar and the victims were rushed to the Civil Hospital.

The injured were identified as Muhammad Ismail (39), Waqas (30), Abdul Sattar (65), Babu (35), Abdul Aziz (70) and Usama (25). The identity of the dead, almost 70 to 75 years of age, is yet to be ascertained, said police.

Police officials suspect the involvement of a Lyari gang behind the attack who hurled the grenade after the shopkeepers refused to pay extortion money.

Home Minister and IGP Sindh have taken notice of the incident and sought a report from District City SSP.

In April last year, at least six security officials, as well as civilians were injured in two separate grenade attacks along the Torkham crossing of the Pak-Afghan border.

In September of last year, at least seven people were wounded when motorcyclists hurled a hand grenade near the residence of Lyari kingpin Uzair Baloch.