<\/p>\n
The killing<\/a> of a Mirpurkhas doctor a day after he was booked<\/a> on allegations of blasphemy prompted Sindh police on Friday to form a committee to ascertain \u201cfacts\u201d about the incident.<\/p>\n The suspect was shot dead by Sindhri police on Thursday during an \u201cencounter\u201d in Mirpurkhas, a day after he was booked by Umerkot police under Section 295-C (use of derogatory remarks, etc., in respect of the Holy Prophet) of the Pakistan Penal Code for allegedly posting \u201cblasphemous content\u201d on Facebook followed by protests from religious parties.<\/p>\n Sindhri Police Station House Officer (SHO) Niaz Khoso confirmed the killing of the suspect, saying that he, along with an \u201caccomplice\u201d opened fire at the police. In retaliatory action, the suspect was shot dead whereas his alleged accomplice managed to escape, he claimed.<\/p>\n After the \u201cencounter\u201d, the body was handed over to the family, who brought it to Janhero \u2014 the native village of the suspect \u2014 for burial. However, they had to escape after a mob descended on them to snatch the body.<\/p>\n The family fled to Nabisar Thar, where they were pursued by zealots who did not let them bury the slain suspect. However, upon returning to Janhero with the body hidden in a car, a mob managed to snatch the corpse and set it on fire.<\/p>\n Earlier in the week, the doctor issued a video statement on his social media, saying that his account had been hacked and he could not even \u201cimagine sharing blasphemous content\u201d.<\/p>\n According to the medical superintendent of the Umerkot District Headquarters Hospital, the doctor was a dedicated medical practitioner, who had \u201cgone missing\u201d on September 12, which could be due to a \u201cpsychotic episode\u201d.<\/p>\n On Friday, Sindh Inspector General of Police (IG) Ghulam Nabi Memon told Dawn.com<\/em> he had formed a committee, comprising senior police officers, to ascertain \u201cfacts\u201d about the killing.<\/p>\n According to an official order issued by the Sindh IG, the committee has been constituted to probe two cases (FIR No. 47\/2024 and 48\/2024) registered at Sindhri police station on September 19.<\/p>\n The inquiry committee, led by Shaheed Benazirabad Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Pervaiz Chandio and comprising Hyderabad DIG Tariq Razzak Dharejo and Badin Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sheeraz Nazeer, has been directed to complete the inquiry within seven days and submit the report.<\/p>\n Additionally, the Sindh IG transferred the Mirpurkhas SSP, ordering him to report to the Sindh Central Police Office in Karachi. According to an official notification seen by Dawn.com<\/em>, the Tharparkar SSP will perform duties in Mirpurkhas \u201cwith immediate effect and until further orders\u201d.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar announced the removal of top police officials of Mirpurkhas division and added that the committee would ascertain whether the doctor was killed \u201cextra-judicially\u201d.<\/p>\n In a statement on Friday, the home minister said that an \u201calarming situation was created during the last 48 hours\u201d, mentioning riots breaking out in Umerkot and the torching of a police vehicle. The minister said that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) had even allowed his biggest enemy \u201cto rectify mistakes\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cIf there is any issue, it should be resolved,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is my duty to take action if there is any illegal work in my department,\u201d he said, adding that the committee had been formed to probe the incident.<\/p>\n \u201cI am suspending DIG Mirpurkhas, SSP Mirpurkhas, the Crime Investigation Agency team and the SHO,\u201d Lanjar said.<\/p>\n It emerged on Wednesday that the family members of a blasphemy suspect forgave<\/a> the Quetta police official who allegedly killed him last week while he was in police custody<\/p>\n The family strongly condemned the slain suspect for the alleged blasphemy saying, \u201cWe never hesitate to render our lives in the honour of the Holy Prophet.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have pardoned the police official Saad Muhammad Sarhadi in the name of Allah and unconditionally,\u201d the family members said, adding that they would not fight the case against the police official in a court of law.<\/p>\n JUI-P Senator Abdul Shakoor Khan, in a Senate meeting last week, had expressed solidarity with the police official, saying that he would bear all his legal expenses.<\/p>\n In May, police rescued a Christian man<\/a> from enraged mobsters who wanted to lynch him, and attacked the homes of some other members of the minority community in Sargodha on allegations of desecration of the Holy Quran.<\/p>\n Following the incident, 26 people were arrested<\/a>, and over 400 were booked for mob violence. The case was registered on behalf of the state under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997 and sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).<\/p>\n\u2018Alarming situation\u2019<\/h2>\n
Blasphemy cases in country<\/h2>\n