Doctor accused of blasphemy killed in alleged encounter in Pakistan

Shah Nawaz Kunhbar, a doctor from Umerkot, Pakistan, was killed in an alleged police encounter in Mirpurkhas, a day after being accused of blasphemy. The incident followed his arrest, amid conflicting reports about his escape and recapture. Tensions escalated as a mob set his body on fire during his family's attempts to bury him. His family revealed that Kunhbar had been suffering from a mental disorder for four years. Despite claims of a police encounter, local officers have not commented on the situation.

Shah Nawaz Kunhbar, a doctor based in Umerkot, was fatally shot by police in an alleged extra-judicial killing in Mirpurkhas on Thursday, just one day after he was accused of blasphemy. On Wednesday, Umerkot police filed a case against the medical professional under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code. The charge stemmed from allegations that he posted blasphemous content on Facebook, which led to protests by religious groups, Dawn reported.

The suspect reportedly fled to Karachi but was later apprehended by Umerkot police and taken to Mirpurkhas. There, Sindhri police allegedly killed him in what they described as an "encounter." However, police denied that he had been arrested in Karachi. Sindhri Station House Officer (SHO) Niaz Khoso confirmed the suspect's death, claiming that Shah Nawaz and his "accomplices" fired on police officers. In response, police shot and killed the doctor, while his accomplice reportedly escaped. Mirpurkhas CIA police verified this version, stating the event took place during snap-checking near Kanta stop in Sindhri.

A day earlier, Nawaz posted a video on social media declaring that his account had been hacked, and he would never share blasphemous content. The Medical Superintendent of Umerkot District Headquarters Hospital said the doctor was a committed professional who had been missing since September 12, potentially due to a "psychotic episode," reported Dawn. Tensions escalated in Umerkot following the blasphemy allegations, with a large group of protesters gathering outside the press club on Wednesday. The demonstrators called for the doctor's immediate arrest, setting a police vehicle on fire in the process.

Following the "encounter," Shah Nawaz's body was returned to his family, who took it to his home village of Janhero for burial. However, a mob descended on the family, attempting to seize the body, forcing them to flee. The family sought refuge in Nabisar Thar, but religious extremists pursued them, preventing the burial. They later returned to Janhero, hiding the body in a car, only for a mob to finally capture the corpse and set it on fire. The deceased is survived by his widow, three sons, and a daughter.

Family members and locals revealed that Nawaz had been suffering from a mental disorder for four years. His nephew, Shahid, a psychiatrist based in the UK, had been treating him and regularly prescribing medication, Dawn reported. Mataro Hingorjo, a family physician practising in Ireland, told Dawn that 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 explained. Despite several attempts, SSP Mirpurkhas and other police officials were unavailable for comment, reported Dawn News. (ANI)

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