Referring to the killings, the police alleged that they killed four suspected terrorists in a shootout. Rao Anwar claimed that Naqeebullah had links with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Daesh).[12][16] However, the claims were contested by Naqeebullah's relatives and human rights activists,[12][15][17] especially the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (Pashtun Protection Movement), who launched a campaign to seek justice for him.[5][6][19] An inquiry committee consisting of senior police officers was formed to investigate the killing, which found Naqeebullah to be innocent, and declared that the alleged police encounter staged to kill him and three others was fake.[8][9][21]