Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar on Thursday presented the findings of the investigation into the murder of a doctor accused of blasphemy by police in Mirpurkhas, saying the investigation found that the police had “staged the encounter”. Dr Shahnawaz Kunbhar, accused of sharing blasphemous posts on social media, was shot dead in a shootout with police in Mirpurkhas on September 19, authorities said. According to an official order issued by the Sindh Inspector General (IG), a commission of inquiry has been constituted to investigate two cases (FIR No. 47/2024 and 48/2024) registered at the Sindhri Police Station on 19 September. Sindh IG transferred Mirpurkhas Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and directed him to report to Sindh Central Police Office in Karachi. Last week, Lanjar announced the removal of top police officials of the Mirpurkhas division, adding that the committee would investigate whether the doctor was killed “extrajudicially”. Meanwhile, civil society activists from across the province took part in a protest at the Umerkot Press Club on Wednesday, led by the daughter of the blasphemy suspect, among others. According to a copy of the inquiry report available on Dawn.com, the committee “unanimously” agreed that the Mirpurkhas police “killed him [Dr Shahnawaz] in a controlled encounter and tried to give it legal cover but failed”. The commission of inquiry came to this conclusion after analyzing CCTV footage, police testimony, social media content and tracker data, the report said. He added that Umerkot police took Dr Shahnawaz into custody from Karachi before handing him over to Mirpurkhas police custody. The report recommended that the family of the deceased record a statement and file a First Information Report (FIR) under relevant provisions while suggesting “stern departmental action” against Umerkot and Mirpurkhas police personnel who allegedly celebrated the killing. The report further urged that cases should be handled by a senior officer not below the rank of Superintendent of Police (SP) and preferably the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) or the Crime Branch”. “The entire episode was not seriously handled in accordance with law and police rules, lack of overall command and inability to take decisions as enumerated in [the legal framework of the country] by officers including DIG Mirpur Khas, SSP Umar Kot and SSP Mirpur Khas. . “, the message said.
