Rao Anwar, his team acquitted of Naqeebullah's murder.

KARACHI -- In a ruling that was roundly criticised, an anti-terrorism court on Monday acquitted former Malir SSP Rao Anwar and his 17 subordinates over the infamous encounter that left Naqeebullah Mehsud and three others dead five years ago, citing 'lack of evidence to prove their presence at the crime scene'.

'I am of the considered view that the prosecution since has failed to bring home guilt of the accused beyond any reasonable doubt and for giving benefit of doubt to an accused it is not necessary that there should be many circumstances creating doubt. One single circumstance leading towards the real doubt is sufficient to acquit the accused. I, therefore, extend benefit of doubt to accused,' concluded the judge in the 43-page judgement released late in the night.

The judge gave his ruling after declaring that all the four citizens had been killed 'extrajudicially in a fake police encounter'.

The 2018 killing of Naqeebullah, a 27-year-old aspiring model from South Waziristan residing in Karachi, had shocked the nation as social media was stormed with public outcry and there were countrywide protests by civil society...