In southern Pakistan, a blasphemy suspect was shot and killed by police during a reported shootout with armed individuals, making it the second apparent extrajudicial killing in a week. The deceased, identified as Shah Nawaz, was a medical doctor from Umerkot district in Sindh province. He had been accused of disrespecting Prophet Muhammad and sharing blasphemous content on social media before going into hiding. The incident occurred in Mirpur Khas, where Nawaz was discovered by chance by police who were attempting to stop two men on a motorcycle.
According to authorities, when the men on the motorcycle refused to stop and opened fire, a shootout ensued. One suspect managed to escape, while the other, later identified as the wanted doctor, was killed. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan condemned the extrajudicial killings, expressing grave concern over the use of violence in blasphemy cases involving law enforcement. The commission urged the government to investigate the circumstances surrounding Nawaz’s death and hold those responsible accountable.
The killing of Shah Nawaz came after protests in Umerkot, where Islamists demanded his arrest and reportedly set fire to his clinic. This incident follows another recent case in Quetta, where a blasphemy suspect, Syed Khan, was fatally shot by a police officer inside a police station. Despite the officer’s arrest, Khan’s tribe and family forgave him, citing the insult to Prophet Muhammad as the reason for their forgiveness.
In Pakistan, allegations of blasphemy, whether genuine or rumors, often lead to violent reactions, including mob attacks that can escalate to lynching. The country’s blasphemy laws are controversial, prescribing the death penalty for those convicted of insulting Islam or religious figures. In recent years, Pakistan has seen a rise in attacks on individuals accused of blasphemy, with instances of mobs taking the law into their own hands and perpetrating violence.