Naqeebullah Murder Case: Former SHO, Other Accused Acquitted

News Desk
KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court in Karachi on Tuesday acquitted all remaining accused, including a former Station House Officer (SHO), in the high-profile Naqeebullah Mehsud extrajudicial murder case due to a lack of actionable evidence.
The verdict brings a significant legal chapter to a close in a case that had previously sparked nationwide outrage and intense scrutiny over police brutality and extrajudicial killings within the metropolitan city.
The trial court ruled that the prosecution failed to substantiate the charges against the remaining defendants,
granting them the benefit of the doubt. Earlier, former Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Malir Rao Anwar and several of his subordinates had also been acquitted in the case, drawing severe criticism and concern from human rights organizations and the victim’s legal representatives who sought stringent accountability for law enforcement agencies.
The conclusion of this protracted legal battle highlights persistent structural vulnerabilities within Pakistan’s criminal justice and investigative frameworks.
Legal experts note that systemic flaws in gathering forensic evidence and protecting witnesses often impede successful prosecutions in high-profile state-actor cases, raising broader questions about institutional accountability, systemic impunity, and the state’s capacity to deliver justice in cases of alleged police excesses.
Following the verdict, civil society organizations and legal aides for the Mehsud family are reviewing the judgment to determine whether to challenge the acquittal in the Sindh High Court.
The development underscores the ongoing struggle for comprehensive police reforms and the protection of fundamental human rights across Pakistan.