In a shocking incident, a man accused of blasphemy was shot dead inside a police lockup in Quetta by a police officer. The officer, identified as Constable Syed Khan, has been arrested following the incident.
The victim was arrested a day earlier on allegations of blasphemy made through Facebook, following a protest by religious clerics on the Western Bypass in Quetta. Initially, the accused was taken to the Kharotabad police station, where the situation escalated due to large crowds of clerics and religious students gathering outside the station.
Protesters, chanting slogans such as “One punishment for blasphemers, beheading,” tried to storm the police station. They broke through the main gate in an attempt to reach the building. In response, police fired warning shots and used tear gas to disperse the crowd. Though the protesters eventually retreated, tensions in the area remained high, prompting authorities to deploy additional police forces for security.
The accused was later transferred to the Cantt police station, where he was killed by the police officer in custody. The incident has raised serious concerns about the handling of blasphemy cases and security in police custody.
Blasphemy remains a highly sensitive issue in Pakistan, where the crime is punishable by death under laws introduced during General Zia-ul-Haq’s regime in the 1980s. Since then, thousands of people have been accused under these laws.
There have been numerous instances where individuals accused of blasphemy have been killed by angry mobs or, in some cases, even by law enforcement officers before any legal proceedings could take place. Blasphemy accusations are sometimes misused for personal vendettas, exacerbating pressure on the legal system and deepening social divides.
International human rights organizations and some local groups have called for reforms to prevent the misuse of blasphemy laws, emphasizing the need for due process and protection of the accused. However, religious groups in Pakistan strongly defend these laws as essential for protecting Islamic values.
The recent incident in Quetta highlights once again the extreme sensitivity surrounding blasphemy cases and the volatile nature of public sentiment. It underscores the growing concerns over extrajudicial actions and mob justice in Pakistan.