Inquiry reveals Pakistani doctor accused of blasphemy killed in ‘fake police encounter’

A Pakistani doctor accused of blasphemy was killed in a staged police encounter, an inquiry report confirmed on Wednesday.

Dr Shah Nawaz Kunbhar was shot dead by police in Sindh's Mirpurkhas on Sept. 19, just one day after he was charged under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code for allegedly posting blasphemous content on Facebook, a charge he denied.

Kunbhar’s death occurred after he fled to Karachi, reportedly seeking refuge from the escalating threats. However, Umerkot police arrested him and transported him back to Mirpurkhas, where he was killed.

“Dr Shah Nawaz was killed during a fake encounter, and police officials were involved in it,” Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar said at a press conference in Karachi. He added that an inquiry led by the provincial government had exposed the encounter as staged.

Lanjar also revealed that the investigation had already resulted in the suspension of the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mirpurkhas. “A new DIG has been appointed in Mirpurkhas to take this case forward,” he added.

The inquiry focused solely on the police's misconduct. Meanwhile, he said, an investigation is underway to examine whether the blasphemy charge against Kunbhar has merit.

“The report recommends that the family should file an FIR against the involved officers,” Lanjar said. “But if they choose not to, the Sindh government will take that step.”

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah is expected to announce compensation for the Kunbhar family soon.

The incident

The blasphemy charge against Kunbhar followed protests by local religious groups demanding action. Under Pakistani law, those convicted of blasphemy face the death penalty.

Following the incident, protests erupted across several cities in Sindh over the past weekend. Dr Kunbhar had previously released a video on social media stating that his Facebook account had been hacked. “I could never imagine sharing blasphemous content,” Dr Kunbhar said in the video, denying the allegations.

'A dedicated doctor'

Dr Kunbhar's colleagues at the Umerkot District Headquarters Hospital described him as a dedicated doctor, noting that he had gone missing on September 12.

Following the encounter, Kunbhar's body was returned to his family for burial in his native village, Janhero. However, the funeral was interrupted when a mob reportedly attempted to seize the body, forcing the family to flee.

The protests have since spread, with demonstrators in various cities of Sindh voicing their anger over the handling of the case.

In one video circulating on social media, protestors are chanting slogans in support of the late doctor. “We Sindhi people only wish for peace,” protestors can be heard saying.

A large number of people earlier gathered in Kunhbar's native village to offer funeral prayers. They sang at his grave, showered it with petals, and placed an Ajrak—a traditional block-printed shawl used to honor someone—over it.

They raised slogans against religious extremism and fanaticism, vowing, “We will not let Sindh become a battleground for violence in the name of religion.”

In Karachi, civil society groups and rights organizations held a demonstration outside the Karachi Press Club. They demanded a judicial inquiry into the killing, expressing distrust in any investigation led by the police. Protestors emphasized that the inquiry must be independent to uncover the truth.

Amnesty International also weighed in, calling for a "thorough, impartial, and independent" investigation into Dr Kunhbar's death as well as the killing of Abdul Ali, another blasphemy suspect, by a police constable in Quetta.

In a statement from Amnesty's South Asia office, the organization urged Pakistani authorities to ensure those responsible for these killings are prosecuted in transparent trials without resorting to the death penalty.