Former SSP Rao Anwar and his subordinates, who have been detained in a case pertaining to the extrajudicial killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud, were presented before a Karachi anti-terrorism court for an in-camera session on Saturday.

The main prosecutor, however, did not show up for the hearing, at which the judge hearing the case expressed severe displeasure.

Anwar, 11 of his subordinates and 14 absconders are accused of abducting the Waziristan native shopkeeper and aspiring model Naqeebullah for ransom and later killing him, along with three other detainees, in a staged encounter in Karachi's Malir area on January 13.

During today's hearing, the government lawyer — present in the court due to the absence of the main prosecution lawyer, Ali Raza — refused to accept notices regarding a bail application filed by suspended DSP Qamar Ahmed, who is a close aide of Anwar and is among the accused in the case.

"Ali Raza is the prosecution's lawyer in the case and he is the one who can accept these notices," the substitute lawyer told the court, to which the ATC judge said: "It is astonishing that lawyers are refusing to even receive notices."

"I had already written to the Sindh High Court that if they are forwarding this case to us, they should also send us the staff and the lawyers to handle the case," the judge remarked.

According to sources within the legal community, Raza failed to appear in court because of threats. "Raza has said that he cannot appear in court for the Rao Anwar case because he is receiving threats," a lawyer, who requested anonymity, told DawnNewsTV.

While in the courtroom, Anwar kept chatting with his former subordinates and asked how they were. The former SSP also commented on the lack of proper air conditioning in court. "I think the AC is not working properly," Anwar said.

Before the hearing began, the ATC judge had barred the entrance of anyone except the defendants into the court.

As a result of this embargo, the security personnel posted outside the court also tried to keep the claimant and his lawyer from entering the court.

However, both men were allowed to enter the court when they raised strong objections at being kept out of the hearing.

"This trail is to be held in open court; holding an in-camera session is against the law," the lawyer objected.

The case has been adjourned until May 28.