Pakistani blasphemy suspect's family forgives police officer accused of killing him

The family of a blasphemy suspect killed in custody in southwestern Pakistan has forgiven the police officer accused of killing him, saying they would not press charges "in the name of God".

Abdul Ali, 52, also known as Sakhi Lala, was shot dead last week in a heavily fortified police station in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, by police officer Saad Mohammad Sarhadi, who had accessed the facility by pretending to be Ali's relative, police said.

"We will not fight the case," Ali's son Muhammad Usman told a press conference late on Wednesday, sitting with another brother and some elders from his tribal clan. "We have forgiven the police officer in the name of God."

One of the elders, Faizullah Noorzai, said the tribe would disown Ali. "We and our families are the kind of people who would sacrifice their lives for the sake of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his respect."

Blasphemy is punishable by death in Pakistan. No one has been executed by the state for the crime, but dozens of those accused have been lynched by mobs before trial.

The father of Ali's alleged killer, Haji Daad Muhammad, has been receiving visitors paying their respects at his house since last week's killing.

Haji Daad Muhammad, father of Saayd Muhammad Sarhadi, a police officer who opened fire and killed a man in custody on blasphemy allegations at a police station, sits with guests at his residence in Quetta, Pakistan September 18, 2024. Reuters

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom says the South Asian country is one of the world's strictest and most frequent enforcers of blasphemy laws.

Blasphemy accusations fuelled mobs that attacked Christian neighborhoods in the eastern province of Punjab, burning several churches and displacing hundreds of people last year.

A court will consider the plea by Ali's family for a pardon and decide whether to proceed with charging the officer, said a senior police officer who asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue.

Ali's alleged blasphemy cantered on an argument he had about politics and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), according to a police investigator. He had been moved to the more secure police station after hundreds gathered outside the facility where he was initially detained, chanting that they wanted to kill him publicly.

Last week Nukta reported that the victim, Abdul Ali, said to be a supporter of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), was a vocal critic of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam -Fazl (JUI-F). In a video recorded while driving, Ali condemned the JUI-F for exploiting blasphemy issues for political gain. PkMAP is an ethnic party, while JUI-F is a right-wing religious party.

The video quickly went viral, drawing the ire of JUI-F members, who allegedly manipulated and edited his video to emphasize Ali’s comments. According to local reporters, they disseminated the altered video across social media and sent it to local officials, including the Imam of Kharotabad’s mosque.

Authorities charged Ali with blasphemy and arrested him. He was transferred to the Kharotabad Police Station where a mob gathered outside, demanding the suspect be handed over to them.

Due to security concerns, the suspect was later transferred to Quetta Cantt Police Station. However, a constable assigned to Kharotabad, identified as Saad Khan Sarhadi, entered the lockup and shot Ali after speaking with fellow officers. Following the shooting, Sarhadi surrendered and was arrested.

'JUI-F not involved'

However, speaking to Nukta, last week, JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza denied his party's involvement in everything related to the incident. "Our party members neither manipulated the video nor instigated a social media campaign against him," he said.

Senator Murtaza asserted that his party members actually played a role in ensuring the suspect's safety until he was handed over to the police. “Any person who tries to falsely accuse someone of degrading the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is guilty of committing blasphemy themselves,” Murtaza stated, vouching for the integrity of JUI-F members.

The incident was raised in the upper house of parliament. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan (JUIP) Senator Abdul Shakoor Achakzai expressed support for the shooter, pledging to assist him with legal representation. “We will not tolerate any blasphemous comments against the Holy Prophet,” he emphasized, reiterating his commitment to defending religious sanctity.

There were reports that the father of the killer was lauded for his sons actions.