Blasphemy Accusation Leads to Controversial Police Custody Death in Pakistan

In southern Pakistan, Dr. Shah Nawaz, previously accused of blasphemy, was allegedly killed by police while in custody, contradicting police accounts of an accidental death during a shootout. His family claims his social media was hacked, and human rights groups condemn the potential second extra-judicial killing in a week.

In a deeply troubling incident, Shah Nawaz, a doctor accused of blasphemy, was allegedly killed by police while in custody in southern Pakistan, according to his family. This revelation stands in stark contrast to police claims that Nawaz's death was the result of an accidental shootout.

Nawaz had gone into hiding last week following accusations that he had insulted Prophet Muhammad on Facebook. Declaring his innocence, Nawaz said his account had been hacked. Despite police assurances of safety, Nawaz was arrested and purportedly killed shortly after in what his family labels as a staged encounter.

Human rights groups have voiced strong condemnation, considering this the second extra-judicial killing within a week. The case has sparked outrage, with mobs attacking Nawaz's clinic and allegedly burning his body postmortem. Seeking justice, Nawaz's family and civil society members continue to fight for accountability and protection.

(With inputs from agencies.)