A Sindh Government inquiry has revealed that Dr Shahnawaz was killed in Umerkot by police in a fake encounter. Interior Minister Zia ul Hassan Lanjar shared the details of the report after it was presented to CM Murad Ali Shah.
Lanjar added that the committee had found that Dr Shahnawaz was killed in a ‘fake’ encounter. He added that it was certain that the DIG was involved in the whole affair and SSP Mirpurkhas has already been suspended.
The 31-page report was submitted to CM Shah earlier in the day.
Lanjar said that the report only investigated the matter of the fake encounter anda forensic investigation was being carried out todetermine whether blasphemy had been committed.
He added that the report has recommended that the deceased’s family should file an FIR against the police officers. The minister added that the government has already reached out to the victim’s family to give them complete liberty of action in the matter.
In response to a question, Lanjar said that the state would file the FIR if the victim’s family chose not to.
Lanjar said that a swift investigation into the matter was necessary as the matter posed a challenge to the integrity of the police.
He said that it was the government’s responsibility to ensure that its writ remained firm in its jurisdiction and that all institutions worked within their ambit.
A mob had seized the body of Dr. Shah Nawaz Kumbhar, a blasphemy suspect reportedly killed in a police encounter, and set it on fire on Friday.
The circumstances surrounding Dr. Kunbhar’s death remain unclear. SSP Mirpur Khas, Asad Chaudhry, claimed he was killed in a gunfight, asserting that Dr. Kumbhar opened fire upon seeing the police and was shot by his own companion.
