The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a review petition filed by former SSP Rao Anwar to remove his name from the exit control list (ECL). Anwar is on trial for the extra judicial killing of Naqeebullah Mehsood and others at Karachi's anti-terrorism court (ATC).

A three-member bench, headed by Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan and including Justice Ayesha A Malik and Justice Munib Akhtar, heard the case.

During Wednesday's hearing, the apex court dismissed the accused's review petition, directed Anwar to consult forums relevant to the matter and asked him to submit a fresh plea if he wanted some leniency, other than striking his name from the ECL.

During the hearing, Anwar's lawyer Malik Naeem Iqbal told the court that the former SSP's case was pending before the trial court and that he was appearing for every hearing despite the fact that he had been granted bail.

At this Justice Ahsan noted that Anwar's name had been included in the ECL on the orders of the court and the court could not accept the plea of the accused because this was not a case pertaining to bail.

This is the second time that the Supreme Court has dismissed his petition for the removal of his name from the ECL.

The ATC had indicted Anwar and seven other policemen for the murder of four people namely, Naqeebullah, Sabir, Nazar Jan and Ishaq, in a staged encounter after dubbing them as ‘Taliban militants’ on Jan 13, 2018.

The accused have been declared proclaimed offenders and warrants are out for their arrests.

Then chief justice of Pakistan, Saqib Nisar, took suo moto notice of the horrific murder of the 27-year-old aspirant model from South Waziristan after a widespread protest by the civil society.