Authorities in southern Pakistan have reported the shooting death of a blasphemy suspect during an alleged shootout with armed individuals, marking the second such incident in a week. The suspect, identified as a medical doctor named Shah Nawaz, had been accused of insulting Islam's Prophet Muhammad and sharing blasphemous content on social media. Nawaz had gone into hiding after the accusations surfaced.
The incident occurred in the Umerkot district in the Sindh province, where police encountered two men on a motorcycle in Mirpur Khas. When the men attempted to evade the police and opened fire, law enforcement officers retaliated. One suspect managed to escape, while the other was fatally shot. It was later revealed that the slain man was the doctor wanted for alleged blasphemy.
The killing of Nawaz has sparked strong condemnation from human rights groups, including the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), which expressed grave concerns over the extrajudicial nature of the incident. The HRCP called for an independent inquiry to determine accountability and ensure that those responsible for the killing face appropriate consequences.
This incident follows a similar case in Quetta, where a suspect accused of blasphemy was fatally shot by a police officer inside a police station. The officer responsible for the shooting was promptly arrested, although the family of the deceased forgave the officer, citing the alleged blasphemy as the reason for their forgiveness.
Blasphemy accusations in Pakistan often lead to violent reactions, with mobs frequently taking matters into their own hands. While mob violence against blasphemy suspects is common, extrajudicial killings by law enforcement are less frequent in the country. Pakistan's blasphemy laws carry severe penalties, including the death sentence for those found guilty of insulting Islam or its religious figures.
The recent surge in attacks on blasphemy suspects underscores the volatile nature of blasphemy allegations in Pakistan, with incidents of violence and vigilantism on the rise. The government faces mounting pressure to address these issues and ensure that justice is served in a fair and transparent manner.
