An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Mirpurkhas on Thursday ordered the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to arrest and produce six police officers in a case related to staged encounter of Dr Shahnawaz Kunbhar in September this year.
The ATC issued non-bailable arrest warrant of six police officers, including a former deputy inspector general (DIG) and senior superintendent police (SSP), and directed the FIA to produce them by January 8, 2025.
Meanwhile, the FIA recorded written statement of five medical board members who exhumed the Shahnawaz’s body.
Professor Dr Waheed, a member of the medical board, confirmed “torture” on the deceased doctor as “his five ribs were broken”.
Dr Shahnawaz had been killed in a fake encounter by Mirpurkhas cops, according to the inquiry committee members, in the jurisdiction of the Sindhri police station on the night of September 19.
According to the committee’s findings, on September 17, the Umerkot police received reports about alleged blasphemous social media activities of Shahnawaz, a resident of the Janhero village and a senior medical officer (BS-18) at the Umerkot District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ).
As the news about the alleged blasphemy spread, a large number of people gathered in the Umerkot city to protest and riot. The main target of their aggression was the police because the alleged suspect was at large.
The mob also set ablaze a police van and damaged other police vehicles. An FIR was later lodged against the doctor on the complaint of cleric Sabir Ali at the Umerkot Taluka police station, while another FIR was lodged against the rioters at the Umerkot City police station.
The doctor was taken into “protective custody” on Sept 18 by a police team. Later, the suspect was transferred to Mirpurkhas but the next day he was shot dead, what they called “an encounter”.
The incident prompted an inquiry by the Sindh government with a pledge of stern action against those responsible in the incident.
The alleged encounter prompted widespread public outcry, with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah taking notice of the incident and ordering the suspension of the Mirpurkhas DIG, SSP and other police officers.
Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar had announced that a comprehensive 31-page report had been prepared after investigating all the aspects of the tragedy and ordered authorities concerns to register FIRs against the officers involved.
