Report highlights gaps in investigation into Shahnawaz Kunbhar blasphemy case

Umerkot [Pakistan]October 11 (ANI): The Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC), in an inquiry report, has found a pattern of legal violations, administrative failures and negligence by law enforcement officials in the extrajudicial killing of Dr. Shahnawaz Kunbhar highlighted, Dawn reported.

The report’s findings highlight significant gaps in legal procedures, inadequate protection of victims’ fundamental rights and a lack of decisive action by authorities against perpetrators.

In particular, blasphemy remains a major problem for ethnic minorities in Pakistan. Laws related to blasphemy are often subverted and distorted by authorities and committed Islamic radicals, often resulting in brutality, extreme violence and often the death of members of ethnic minorities.

For the report, an SHRC research team led by Chairman Iqbal Ahmed Detho and retired judge Arshad Noor Khan conducted a survey in the region from September 20 to 27 this year. The fact-finding mission included meetings with Shahnawaz’s family, local law enforcement agencies and civil society representatives.

This SHRC investigation found serious negligence on the part of officials, failure to follow proper legal protocols and procedures, and weak charges against the perpetrators of the heinous blasphemy act.

The SHRC investigation reported “serious police misconduct” for staging a “fabricated” encounter, as confirmed by a team formed by IGP Sindh, The Dawn reported. “Dr. Shahnawaz Kumbhar was incorrectly identified as the blasphemy suspect, an error likely due to systemic flaws in the FIR registration process. This mistaken identity had devastating consequences and ultimately led to his death. The situation was exacerbated by the police’s lack of transparency regarding his arrest and the allegedly fabricated encounter that followed. “Such cases of blasphemy highlight the critical lack of accountability within law enforcement. The SHRC report also recommended the exhumation of the body of the late Dr. Shahnawaz for a proper post-mortem to ascertain the cause of death of the victim. Such a move would provide evidence of torture and other ill-treatment suffered by the victim, Dawn claimed.

The SHRC in its report highlighted the “dangerous dynamics” built on social media platforms that increased calls for violence against Kunbhar and fueled the tragic outcome, Dawn reported.

This case highlights the urgent need for greater vigilance on digital media channels. Priority must be given to criminalizing hate speech, provocations and digital violence and developing comprehensive counter-narratives to violent extremism.

Additionally, the report also claimed that Dr. Shahnawaz was deprived of his constitutional right to a fair trial. It also added that the fact that he was killed in a police operation instead of being allowed to defend himself in court constituted a “grave violation of this right to a fair trial” under Article 10-A of Pakistan.

The SHRC also sharply criticized the role of the police in its report. “The police confrontation that led to the death of Dr. Shahnawaz appears to have been staged, as confirmed by the investigation by the special committee appointed by the IGP, and this (encounter) points to a serious breach of police conduct and abuse of power,” an SHRC report said was a case of “negligence or complicity” on the part of the police in mob violence. It said: “The police were only able to discover the desecration of Dr came after the mob had committed the desecration, which raised suspicions of negligence or even complicity.” The SHRC report, while emphasizing “incitement to the mob”, claimed “The police responded insufficiently to the mob violence that erupted following the blasphemy allegations.” (ANI)