KARACHI: Suspended Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Malir Rao Anwar on Monday approached the Sindh High Court (SHC) to challenge his suspension, which was ordered after he raided MQM leader Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hasan’s house without the permission of the Sindh Assembly speaker.

Anwar said in his petition that the raid was conducted in accordance with the law. He pleaded to the high court to declare his suspension orders illegal.

“All legal formalities were fulfilled while raiding the house of Khawaja Izhar,” he stated in the petition.

Barrister Salahuddin told media that the petition has been filed on behalf of Anwar, seeking reinstatement of the officer.

The SHC issued notices to the provincial chief secretary and Inspector General (IG) of Police Sindh A.D. Khawaja, directing them to file their respective comments on the petition by September 27, 2016.

Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah had asked the Sindh inspector general to suspend Anwar on Friday for arresting Hasan without “taking the government into confidence”.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Farooq Sattar, who was also present on the occasion, had alleged that Anwar refused to show arrest warrants before taking Izhar into custody.

Following his suspension orders, Anwar had clarified before the media that permission from the speaker of the Sindh Assembly was not needed before arrest of any lawmaker.

“We need to inform in writing the speaker of the national or provincial assemblies after the arrest is made,” he said at the time.

He said Hasan had pending FIRs against him. “If there was FIR registered against anyone, a sub-inspector has powers to arrest such persons nominated in the FIR and he has no need to seek permission from anyone.”

“I have adopted a legal procedure for his arrest,” he had claimed, adding that he was placed under suspension in haste and it was wrong to do so.