MIRPURKHAS/UMERKOT: A leader of Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) was on Monday granted 10-day protective bail by the Mirpurkhas circuit bench of the Sindh High Court in a case pertaining to the murder of Dr Shahnawaz Kunbhar and burning of his body.

The court granted pre-arrest, interim bail to Pir Umar Jan Sirhindi, the chief of TLP’s south Sindh chapter, against a surety bond of Rs100,000.

Pir Sirhindi, DIG Javed Jiskani, then SSP-Mirpurkhas Asad Choudhary, SSP-Umerkot Asif Raza Baloch, and several others have been booked in a case registered on the complaint of Ibrahim Kunbhar who stated that the nominated persons acted in connivance with each other and planned the murder of his brother-in-law in police custody over the pretext of blasphemy.

The counsel for the TLP leader also filed an application seeking quashment of the murder FIR.

SHC issues notices on plea for quashment of murder FIR against ‘mob leader’ Pir Sirhindi

The bench issued notices to all parties and adjourned the hearing till Oct 14.

Earlier this month, blasphemy charges were levelled against Dr Shahnawaz and an FIR was lodged against him after a violent protest by ‘religious groups’ in Umerkot. Pir Sarhindi led a big rally in Umerkot and forced the police to arrest Dr Shahnawaz, who later surrendered to police but was killed in a staged encounter. When his family was taking the body to Janhero village in Umerkot for burial, a mob led by Sirhindi, Ahmed Shahani and Riaz Panhwar allegedly snatched the body and set it on fire.

Talking to media persons outside the court, the Pir claimed that he had played an impartial role when the violent protest erupted in Umerkot and tried to stop the enraged mob from damaging government and private properties, but it was deplorable that he was implicated in the murder case.

He said that he worked along with the then SSP-Umerkot and other administrative officers to defuse the situation because he knew it was his responsibility as well like all conscientious citizens to play a positive role for peace and he was satisfied his actions helped save Umerkot from a big disaster.

Meanwhile, Advocate Ali Palh and others filed an application in court and asked names of DIG Jiskani and then SSPs of Umerkot and Mirpurkhas be placed on the exit control list (ECL).

They also asked the court to order a judicial inquiry into the murder of Dr Shahnawaz in a staged encounter.

According to a press release, the court ordered that the names of the three police officers be added to no-fly list.

Religious leaders demand thorough probe

Several religious leaders demanded that the government conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the blasphemy incident and its aftermath.

Pakistan Sunni Tehreek’s Shahid Ghouri, Abdul Khaliq of Bharchondi, Jamaat Ahle Sunnat’s Mufti Muhammad Jan Naeemi, Mashaikh Ettihad Council Pakistan’s president Ghulam Mujaddid Sirhindi and others made this demand at a press conference in Umerkot.

They warned the state to mend its ways and avoid implicating scholars and religious leaders in false cases. Otherwise, they said they would be forced to take extreme steps.

They said that they did not justify the “extrajudicial killing” of Dr Shahnawaz and burning and desecrating of his body.

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2024