Update
TLP leader granted protective bail in Dr. Shah Nawaz murder case
Pir Umar Jan Sarhindi, a leader of a controversial religious-political party Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), has been granted a 10-day protective bail by a Mirpurkhas chapter of the Sindh High Court in the case of killing and burning the blasphemy suspect, Dr Shah Nawaz Kunbhar, from Umerkot.
The court granted pre-arrest, interim bail to Pir Sirhindi against a surety bond of Rs 100,000.
A number of people, including police officials, were also nominated on the complaint of Dr Shah Nawaz’s brother-in-law, Ibrahim Kunbhar, who claimed that the suspects helped each other and planned the murder of his brother-in-law in police custody.
Sarhindi’s lawyer also filed an application seeking quashment of the FIR pertaining to murder charges.
The court was requested to order a judicial inquiry into the murder of the slain doctor in a staged encounter.
Simultaneously, notices were issued to all the parties involved, and the hearing was adjourned until October 14.
Dawn reports that Pir Sarhindi led a big rally in Umerkot, forcing the police to arrest Dr Shahnawaz, who later surrendered to the police but was killed in a fake encounter a day after.
The body was then handed over to the family, but when it was being taken to his native village in Umerkot for burial, a mob led by local TLP leadership seized hold of the body and set it on fire.
Allegedly, Pir Umar Jan Sarhindi, Ahmed Shahani, and Riaz Panhwar were among the mob members.
Pir, however, spoke to the media persons outside the court and claimed that he was totally impartial when the violent protest erupted in Umerkot and even tried to stop the mob from damaging government and private properties. He deemed his implication in the murder case as deplorable.
He also claimed that he worked in close coordination with the then SSP-Umerkot and other administrative officers to defuse the situation because he wanted to save the city from a big disaster.
Meanwhile, Advocate Ali Palh has requested that all the accused be placed on the exit control list (ECL), and the names of three police officials have been added to the no-fly list.
Dr. Shah Nawaz’s family files FIR against 45 suspects
The case of Dr Shah Nawaz Kunbhar, the blasphemy suspect killed in an alleged police encounter- took a turn on Friday when his family registered a FIR on Friday (September 27) against 45 suspects after an investigation report was released by the Sindh government.
The suspects nominated in the FIR include top police officials and a cleric.
It was suggested in the inquiry report presented by Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar that the family must register an FIR against the suspects.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Lanjar announced the registration of the case.
The FIR states that the slain doctor was booked from Lyari, Karachi and was taken to Mirpurkhas’ Sindhri area and killed on September 19.
Charges of blasphemy were levelled against Dr Shah Nawaz even though he contended that his Facebook account was hacked. Resultantly, he escaped to Karachi after a violent protest by ‘religious groups’ in Umerkot.
However, a local cleric incited people and held a rally demanding the police to arrest the doctor. Otherwise, the mob will take matters into their own hands, he threatened.
The doctor met a relative in Karachi, and the police team directed by Umerkot’s SSP arrested him in the presence of the relative.
The complainant’s brother informed him on September 19 that Dr Kunbhar was killed in a police encounter in Sindhri at 4 am, with Mirpurkhas’ police registering the case half an hour after that, according to the FIR.
“We could not perform the rites,” the complainant said in the FIR, adding that the mob attacked the ambulance carrying the body, snatched it and set it on fire.
Doctor’s brother-in-law emphasised that his body bore marks of torture in addition to the bullet wounds.
He alleged that the SHO police station filed two “fake” FIRs against the slain doctor while police officials from Mirpurkhas told the media that Dr Shahnawaz was killed in an encounter.
“They were given rewards, cash prizes and garlands by different people at the DIG office,” the complainant recounted in the text of the FIR.
Dawn reports that the case is registered with the Sindri police station on the complaint of the Dr Kunbhar’s brother-in-law under Sections 34 (common intention), 120-B (punishment for criminal conspiracy), 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender), 302 (punishment for murder) and 364 (kidnapping or abducting in order to murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code; Sections 6 and 7 (terrorism/punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act and Sections 8 and 9 (punishment for torture/punishment for custodial death) of the Torture and Custodial Death Prevention and Punishment Act of 2022.
Sindh Home Minister confirms Dr Shah Nawaz was killed in ‘fake’ police encounter
An investigation committee probing into the alleged killing of blasphemy suspect Dr Shah Nawaz Kunbhar in an extrajudicial encounter has concluded that he was killed in a staged police encounter.
The report argues that stern action needs to be taken against those responsible.
The outcomes of the report were shared by Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar in a press conference. It is a 31-page long investigation report compiled after reviewing CCTV footage and call data records.
“Our police officers are involved in this incident […] We are ordering a registration of first information report against them,” the Sindh Home Minister noted.
Stressing upon the suspension of involved police officials, he said that an FIR would be registered against them.
“At least six cases have been registered so far […] no one will be spared.”
Lanjar said that the slain doctor’s family has been updated about the case already and has been asked to register the case. “If the family refuses to file FIR, then the state will,” he emphasised.
DIG Pervaiz Chandio of Shaheed Benazirabad led the investigation team. He, along with other team members, “unanimously” agreed in the report that “Mirpurkhas police killed him [Dr Shahnawaz] in a managed encounter and tried to give it a legal cover but failed.”
Geo News quotes the report that suggested “strict departmental action” against police officials from both Umerkot and Mirpurkhas police who “celebrated” the killing.
Addressing the queries if Dr Kunbhar actually committed blasphemy, Home Minister Lanjar said that the investigation report is based on the encounter itself for a “disciplinary investigation”, not about blasphemy being committed by him or not.
“We have appointed a new DIG and the committee investigating the FIRs will comprise two SSPs from Umerkot and Shaheed Benazirabad,” the minister announced.
Additionally, the minister hinted at compensation being for the slain doctor’s family via Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah.
Read more: Social media all praise for Prem Kolhi who gave dignified burial to Doctor Shah Nawaz
Huge protest held in Umarkot against Dr Shah Nawaz’s killing
A huge rally was attended by people from all walks of life in Umarkot, Sindh, on September 25 to protest against the killing of blasphemy suspect Dr Shah Nawaz Kunbhar.
Protestors walked from Tin Talwar Chowk to Allahwala Chowk, chanting slogans against police brutality and demanding justice for the slain doctor.
The participants asked that a case be filed against the police officers involved in the extra judicial killing and a judicial commission investigate the matter.
Read more: ‘Mullah gardi band karo’; Sindh fights back against extremism at Dr Shah Nawaz’s funeral
Sindh police suspend 10 officials over alleged encounter of blasphemy suspect
The Sindh police have suspended ten police officials, including some seniors and seven subordinates, after a blasphemy suspect was killed in an alleged extrajudicial encounter in Mirpurkhas.
Journalist Naimat Khan shared the official notification released by Sindh police stating that Deputy Inspector General of Police Javed Soonharo Jiskani, Senior Superintendent of Police Capt. (Retd.) Muhammad Asad Ali Chaudhary, Inspector Niaz Muhammad Khoso and seven other policemen have been placed on suspension days after the incident in Mirpurkhas district.
The notification further states that the suspension is done with “immediate effect.” Meanwhile, the officers will be able to draw pay and other allowances as admissible under the law.
The suspended police officers will report to Police Line Mirpurkhas during the suspension.
Mother of blasphemy suspect releases emotional message: ‘My son sent me for Hajj’
In an emotional video, Dr Shah Nawaz’s mother was seen sitting with the children of slain blasphemy suspect and victim of police brutality. She related that her son used to offer five prayers regularly. He also sent her to Hajj last year and was a very good father and dutiful son.
The case
A doctor from Umerkot in Sindh was fatally shot by police in an alleged extra-judicial killing in Mirpurkhas, a day after he was arrested on allegations of blasphemy.
On Wednesday, Dr Shah Nawaz was booked by Umerkot police under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code for allegedly posting ‘blasphemous content’ on Facebook while a protest was initiated by religious parties.
Reports suggest that the suspect had managed to flee to Karachi but was arrested by Umerkot police and brought to Mirpurkhas, where he was killed in an alleged extrajudicial encounter by Sindh police.
Although the police denied arresting the man from Karachi, SHO Niaz Khoso at Sindhri police station confirmed the killing of the doctor, claiming the health professional along with his ‘accomplices’ opened fire at the police. As a result, he was shot dead by the police, whereas his accomplices managed to escape.
A day before the incident, Dr Shah Nawaz had posted a video statement on his social media in which he was seen saying his account had been hacked and he could not even imagine sharing anything blasphemous.
The Medical Superintendant in Umerkot District Headquarters Hospital has confirmed that Dr Shah Nawaz was a dedicated doctor who went ‘missing’ on September 12, which could be due to a ‘psychotic episode’.
Before his arrest, certain religious parties staged protests around town and demanded his arrest.
Dr Shah Nawaz is survived by three sons, a daughter and his widow.
‘Body burnt’
As per the reports, after the ‘encounter’, the body was handed over to the family.
They brought it to the doctor’s native village— Janhero — for the burial. They were then heckled by a crowd, which forced them to escape.
The family was followed by a mob of extremists up till Nabisar Thar. Upon returning to Janhero, the mob managed to snatch the body of the suspect and set it on fire even thought the family had hid the body in a car.
Mental disorder
As per the family and friends, Dr Shah Nawaz was struggling with mental health problems and had been under treatment since four years.
His nephew, Dr Shahid, a psychiatrist in the UK, was prescribing him medications.
Dawn quotes Dr Mataro Hingorjo, working as a family physician in Ireland that Dr Shah Nawaz was a “deeply religious person”.
“Academically, he was among the top ten in his class—an intelligent, dedicated nationalist with a strong spiritual side, at least during his periods of mental clarity,” he emphasised.
Jibran Nasir’s take on this
A similar incident of a blasphemy suspect being shot dead by a policeman was reported from Quetta last week. However, the family of the suspect pardoned the police official.
Lawyer and activist Jibran Nasir took to Twitter to share his thoughts regarding the two incidents, “If proper investigations are not made and if any foul play, if found, is not punished then tomorrow any citizen can become a victim and be framed as a blasphemer. Opening and operating a social media account under someone else’s name is not an uphill task. Anyone can steal your identity and make you appear a blasphemer and then your choices are either to die at the hands of the mob or at the hands of an over zealous cop who has forgotten his oath and duty or worse be declared a casualty in an encounter.”
