KARACHI: The family of a man, killed by the team of the then-Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Malir Rao Anwar for being allegedly involved in an attempted suicide attack at his convoy, has come forward with claims that he was innocent. 

Anwar on January 16 had claimed to have escaped a suspected suicide attack on his vehicle in Karachi.

Speaking to Geo News, Anwar had said that he remained unhurt in the attack in the city's Malir Cantonment area. He had said the explosion took place when an attacker hit an armoured personnel carrier travelling ahead of his convoy and blew himself.

The police then fired upon the attackers, killing two of them while a few other suspects fled the scene, Anwar had said.

The family of Gul Saeed, one of the killed suspects, now claims that the 34-year-old was a driver and not a terrorist.

SSP Rao Anwar escapes suspected suicide attack in Karachi

Rao Anwar confirms he remained unhurt in the suicide attack in Malir Cantt area on Tuesday evening

A resident of Orangi Town, the suspect's brother Shoaib Khan said Gul Saeed had gone missing a few months back but they initially thought he had driven somewhere far as part of his job. When he did not return, the family initiated a search for him and filed a report with the police.

The family, upon knowing of Saeed?s death, went to the morgue where his body was kept. The morgue authorities declined to hand over the body without a permission letter from the police, the deceased's brother alleged. 

The police refused to provide the letter and instead asked the family to bring a CNIC copy, and said to carry out a DNA test of Saeed and family.

Only after the family resorted to protesting did the police give a permission letter and the body was handed over to them, the brother claimed. 

Talking to media, Shoaib decried the brutal killing of his brother and demanded action against Anwar. 

Saeed was a father of two, while his two brothers are school teachers.

Meanwhile, the other two suspects killed by Anwar are yet to be identified.

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Naqeebullah, a 27-year-old native of Waziristan, was among four suspected terrorists killed in an ?exchange of fire? with a police team led by suspended Malir SSP Rao Anwar

The latest claim has emerged amid a torrent of allegations of extrajudicial killings against Anwar, who was suspended after being accused of killing Naqeebullah Mehsud, a 27-year-old native of Waziristan, in what is believed to be a 'fake encounter.'

Following claims of innocence from Naqeebullah's family, an inquiry committee was formed, after which Anwar and the raiding police party officials went into hiding. An FIR was registered against Anwar's team owing to their no-show before the committee and alleged involvement in the case.