Naqeebullah’s brother, Sher Alam, filed an appeal against the acquittal of former SSP Rao Anwar and others saying the anti-terrorism court ignored the evidence while acquitting the accused and that ATC’s decision should be annulled.

The Sindh High Court accepted the appeal for hearing and issued a notice to the Prosecutor General of Sindh, seeking a response within 4 weeks.

On January 23, Karachi’s Anti-Terrorism Court pronounced the verdict in the Naqeebullah murder case and acquitted 18 accused, including Rao Anwar, due to lack of evidence.

Naqeebullah Mehsud was killed on January 13, 2018, on the outskirts of Karachi after allegedly being abducted.

In March 2018, the Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered the arrest of Rao Anwar, the prime suspect. The SSP was arrested from the Supreme Court of Pakistan premises after making a dramatic court appearance.

He was released on bail in July 2018, only four months after the arrest, though never allowed to resume his office.

The murder of Naqeebullah and three other men who were killed with him sparked a debate about extrajudicial killings in Pakistan. The deaths also sparked widespread protest in the country and Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) was launched to seek justice for Naqeebullah.