Daily Times

Amnesty International has called for a “thorough, impartial and independent” probe into the recent two killings of blasphemy suspects in Sindh and Balochistan by policemen.

On September 12, police constable Saad Khan Sarhadi gunned down a blasphemy suspect, Abdul Ali, inside the lockup of the Cantt Police Station in Quetta.

A week later, Umerkot-based doctor Shah Nawaz Kunhbar was shot dead by police in an ‘encounter’ in Mirpurkhas. When the body was handed over to his family, they were pursued by zealots who snatched the corpse and set it on fire.

In a statement issued on Friday night by Amnesty’s South Asia office, Amnesty said that “Pakistani authorities should complete a thorough, impartial and independent investigation into the incidents”.

It further called upon the government to “ensure those responsible are prosecuted in fair and transparent trials, without resorting to the death penalty”.

“The horrific spate of extrajudicial killings of people accused of blasphemy in Pakistan highlights the government’s ongoing failure to uphold their obligation to respect and protect human rights, including the right to life, freedom of religion or belief, and prohibition of discrimination,” the statement read.

The non-government organisation called on Pakistan to “immediately repeal the blasphemy laws which have since long helped perpetuate discrimination and violence”.

Amnesty highlighted that since May, “at least four people accused of blasphemy have been killed in mob violence” – one in each province.

Besides the Umerkot and Quetta killings, two incidents took place in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa within a month’s span.

On May 25, police in Punjab’s Sargodha had rescued a Christian man from a lynch mob over a desecration allegation, who then succumbed to his injuries days later.

According to a report by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), it was highly likely that the incident was not just mob violence but a targeted attack on Nazir Masih’s family, emanating from a personal dispute.

On June 20, a man was killed by a mob over alleged desecration of the Holy Quran in KP’s Swat district. The mob had then set fire to the suspect’s body, the police station and a police vehicle, while the unrest left eight people injured.

Meanwhile, 10 police officials, including two officers from Mirpurkhas announced earlier, were suspended.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Javed Soonharo Jiskani and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Captain Muhammad Asad Ali of Mirpurkhas were placed under suspension with immediate effect.

“Their charge sheets/statement of allegations shall be issued separately,” read the Sindh chief secretary’s order dated September 20.

It further said the headquarters of the DIG and SSP during the period of their suspension shall be at the Central Police Office in Karachi.

A letter from the Establishment Division, issued on Friday, stated that the officers’ suspension was confirmed for a period of 120 days. It also sought the charge sheet from the Sindh government at the earliest.

Four officials each of the Sindhri police station and the Mirpurkhas Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) team were also suspended.

According to an order issued on Friday by Shabir Ahmed Sethar, who was given the additional charge of Mirpurkhas SSP, Sindhri Station House Officer (SHO) Niaz Khoso was among those suspended.

Three other Sindhri cops, the Mirpurkhas CIA superintendent of police and three other CIA men were also suspended, with “pending enquiry into their conduct”.