Shah Nawaz Kunhbar, a physician from Umerkot, was shot and killed by police on Thursday in what is believed to be an extrajudicial assassination in Mirpurkhas. The doctor had been arrested the day before on charges of blasphemy.
The physician was cited by Umerkot police on Wednesday for reportedly posting “blasphemous content” on Facebook in response to rallies organized by religious groups, in violation of Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The suspect reportedly ran away to Karachi but was apprehended by Umerkot police and sent to Mirpurkhas, where Sindhri police are said to have murdered him after a “encounter.” However, the police denied taking the Karachi guy into custody.
However, Sindhri SHO Niaz Khoso verified the death of the suspect, claiming that the physician and his “accomplices” opened fire on the police. He said that although his supposed partner was able to flee, the suspect was shot dead in retaliation.
The CIA police in Mirpurkhas likewise gave the same account of what happened.
According to police, the event happened while snap-checking in the vicinity of Sindhri’s Kanta station.
In a video message posted to social media a day prior, Dr. Shah Nawaz claimed that his account had been hacked and that he could never have imagined releasing blasphemous information.
The Umerkot District Headquarters Hospital MS reports that Dr. Shah Nawaz was a committed medical professional who vanished on September 12 and may have been the victim of a “psychotic episode.”
It should be mentioned that tensions in Umerkot had increased after demonstrations over the purported blasphemous act. On Wednesday, a sizable group of furious demonstrators gathered in front of the press club, calling for the doctor‘s immediate arrest. They also set a police car on fire.
