US blacklists Pak cop Rao Anwar for corruption, serious human rights abuse

The United States has blacklisted former Karachi police officer Rao Anwar for "serious human rights abuses" during his term as Senior Superintendent Police for allegedly killing dozens of innocent people including Waziristan native Naqeebullah Mehsud in "staged" police encounters.

Former SSP Malir Anwar, known as an encounter specialist, is among 18 individuals from six countries that the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed economic sanctions on for their alleged engagement in human rights violations

Tuesday's announcement was made in connection with International Human Rights Day.

Anwar was accused of staging scores of fake police encounters in which a number of individuals were killed in Karachi.

"The former cop was involved in over 190 police encounters that resulted in the deaths of over 400 people, including the murder of Naqeebullah Mehsood," according to the US Treasury Department.

Mehsood, a young man from Waziristan region, was killed on January 13, 2018, in Karachi during a fake encounter allegedly staged by Rao. A police inquiry later established the encounter was staged. The extrajudicial killing sparked nationwide outraged with a Pashtoon rights group later using it as a rallying call.

The Department further added that Anwar had "helped to lead a network of police and criminal thugs that were allegedly responsible for extortion, land grabbing, narcotics, and murder".

He has been designated "for being responsible for or complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged in, serious human rights abuse," the Department said.

Rao, Karachi's most controversial cop, officially retired from service last year.

"America is the world leader in combatting human rights abuse and it will not tolerate torture, kidnapping, sexual violence, murder, or brutality against innocent civilians," Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said.

The South Asian Bureau of the US State Department said in a tweet, "Under the Global Magnitsky program, @USTreasury sanctioned Rao Anwar Khan for serious human rights abuse in #Pakistan, incl. alleged involvement in hundreds of extra-judicial killings. US will continue to pursue significant consequences for those who disregard #HumanRights.