Sindh’s Interior Minister, Ziaul Hassan, has announced that Dr. Shah Nawaz was killed in a fake police encounter in Umar Kot, and the involved officers have been suspended.
During a press conference in Karachi, he stated that CCTV footage is being utilized for the inquiry into the incident. He assured that an FIR would be filed against anyone deemed responsible by the victims.
Hassan emphasized that the inquiry revealed that the officers acted falsely, leading to their suspension. He noted that an inquiry committee was formed under the directives of the Chief Minister of Sindh to investigate the allegations against police officers in Umar Kot.
The provincial interior minister remarked that the family of the deceased is free to file a First Information Report (FIR) against those responsible, promising that legal action will follow. He confirmed that the inquiry committee has held the Mirpur Khas police and CIA responsible for the incident, and FIRs will be registered against all involved.
He stated that if the family of the deceased does not file an FIR, the state will take action and file a case. According to investigations, the police carried out a fake encounter in Umar Kot, and it is their responsibility to ensure public safety. Investigations will be conducted for the six FIRs that have already been registered.
Ziaul Hassan Lanjhar announced that the new DIG of Mirpur Khas will chair the committee investigating these FIRs. He also mentioned that it is still under investigation whether Dr. Shah Nawaz was a suspect or a criminal, with a determination to be made following forensic analysis of his mobile phone.
Dr. Shah Nawaz Kumbhar, from Umar Kot, was allegedly killed extrajudicially by police in Mirpur Khas. On September 19, the Umar Kot police had registered a case against him under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code for allegedly posting “blasphemous content” on Facebook following protests by religious groups.
Reports indicated that the accused had fled to Karachi but was arrested by Umar Kot police and transferred to Mirpur Khas, where he was allegedly killed by Sindhri police in a purported encounter. However, police have denied apprehending him in Karachi.
Sindhri SHO Niaz Khoso confirmed the suspect’s death, claiming that Dr. Nawaz had opened fire on police along with his “accomplices.” He asserted that the accused was shot dead in retaliatory action, while an alleged accomplice managed to escape.
Just a day before the incident, Dr. Nawaz had issued a video statement on social media claiming his account was hacked and that he would never share blasphemous material.
According to the Medical Superintendent of Umar Kot District Headquarters Hospital, Dr. Shah Nawaz was a dedicated physician who had gone “missing” on September 12, possibly due to a “psychological issue.”
Tensions escalated in Umar Kot following the alleged blasphemy incident, with a large crowd gathering outside the press club on Wednesday demanding the immediate arrest of the doctor, even setting fire to a police vehicle.
After the encounter, the body was handed over to the family for burial in the suspect’s ancestral village, Janiro. However, a mob gathered to seize the body, forcing the family to flee, leading to the body being set ablaze by the agitated individuals.
