In yet another tragic incident underscoring the gross misuse of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, Dr. Shahmnawaz Kunbhar, a grade-18 doctor at the District Hospital Umerkot, was killed under suspicious circumstances in what authorities are now calling a “staged” police encounter. His death, coupled with the involvement of senior police officers and clerics in the events leading up to the killing, reveals a disturbing pattern of how blasphemy laws are manipulated for personal vendettas, with tragic consequences for the accused.
The case of Dr. Kunbhar is the latest in a long line of abuses tied to Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, laws that have not only sown fear and division but have also claimed the lives of innocent people. The events leading up to Dr. Kunbhar’s death, the legal actions now taken against the responsible authorities, and the broader context of how blasphemy laws have been used to target individuals, including the high-profile murder of former Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, will be explored.
The tragic chain of events began on September 17, 2024, when blasphemy accusations were made against Dr. Kunbhar following a violent protest by religious groups in Umerkot, Sindh. These groups accused Dr. Kunbhar of blasphemy, and in response, an FIR was promptly lodged against him. Fearing for his safety, Dr. Kunbhar fled the region. In a video statement released on the same day, he categorically denied the accusations and expressed his belief that he was being unjustly targeted.
The next day, on September 18, Dr. Kunbhar’s relative, Advocate Junaid Ali Kunbhar, contacted him and learned that he was staying at a hotel in Lyari, Karachi. Despite the urgency of the situation, Dr. Kunbhar was arrested later that day by a team of Umerkot police who had tracked him down. Advocate Junaid was present during the arrest, and it was clear that the doctor was being treated as a criminal despite his assertions of innocence.
What happened next took a horrifying turn. In the early hours of September 19, Dr. Kunbhar’s family was informed that he had been killed in an encounter with the police at 4:00 AM. The police claimed that the encounter was a result of Dr. Kunbhar resisting arrest, but the family immediately questioned this version of events. When his body was handed over for burial after a brief medical examination at a hospital in Mirpurkhas, his father observed visible signs of torture, raising suspicions that the “encounter” was in fact a staged execution.
Following an inquiry by a committee that concluded the encounter had been staged, a murder case was filed against several senior police officers. The officers named in the FIR include DIG Javed Jiskani, SSP Mirpurkhas Asad Chaudhry, SSP Umerkot Asif Raza Baloch, officers from the CIA Mirpurkhas and SHO Sindhri Police Station.
The FIR was lodged by Dr. Kunbhar’s brother-in-law, High Court lawyer Mohammed Ibrahim Kunbhar, at the Sindhri police station. In addition to the police officers, two clerics who had incited the protests and violence against Dr. Kunbhar, along with 40 others, were also named in the FIR.
This case is a grim reminder of the lengths to which influential authorities and religious groups will go to eliminate those accused of blasphemy, even when there is little to no evidence supporting the allegations. The accusations that led to Dr. Kunbhar’s death were widely seen as being politically motivated, and the fact that high-ranking police officers were complicit in his killing highlights the severity of the situation.
Blasphemy laws in Pakistan, introduced and expanded under General Zia-ul-Haq in the 1980s, are among the most stringent in the world. These laws carry severe penalties, including death, for anyone found guilty of insulting Islam or its Prophet. While their original intent may have been to safeguard religious sentiments, these laws have frequently been misused as tools for settling personal disputes, targeting minorities, and silencing dissent.
The case of Dr. Kunbhar illustrates how dangerous blasphemy accusations can be. Once such an allegation is made, it can set off a chain of events that are nearly impossible to stop, even if the accused is innocent. Religious groups, often with the backing of clerics and local leaders, quickly mobilize, inciting protests, and even violent acts. In this climate of fear, the accused are left defenseless, with little chance of a fair trial or even survival.
One of the most infamous cases of blasphemy law abuse was the assassination of Salman Taseer, the former Governor of Punjab. In 2011, Taseer was shot dead by his own bodyguard, Mumtaz Qadri, for publicly opposing the blasphemy laws and calling for the release of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman sentenced to death on blasphemy charges. Qadri, who confessed to the murder, was hailed as a hero by many in Pakistan, and his trial revealed the deep societal divisions over the issue of blasphemy.
Salman Taseer’s assassination sent shockwaves through the country and highlighted the extent to which Pakistan’s blasphemy laws had become a symbol of extremist sentiment. Despite being a prominent political figure, Taseer’s death underscored that no one, not even those in power, could safely call for reform of these laws without facing deadly consequences.
The Qadri case also demonstrated how these laws had transcended the legal framework to become a tool of mob justice. While the judiciary found Qadri guilty and sentenced him to death, many in the public and religious groups saw him as a martyr, showing the depth of support for the existing laws.
Since the introduction of the blasphemy laws in Pakistan, human rights organizations estimate that more than 80 people have been killed in extrajudicial acts of violence related to blasphemy accusations. These killings are often carried out by mobs or vigilantes, spurred on by clerics and local leaders who exploit religious sentiments to justify murder. The victims are frequently denied the opportunity to defend themselves, and the mere accusation of blasphemy is enough to condemn them to death in the eyes of many.
In addition to those who have been killed, thousands of individuals have been jailed on blasphemy charges. As of today, it is estimated that at least 1,500 people have been formally charged with blasphemy in Pakistan, and many more are languishing in prison awaiting trial. These individuals often face years of imprisonment under harsh conditions, even if the accusations against them are baseless.
The brunt of these laws is borne by religious minorities, including Christians, Hindus, and Ahmadi Muslims. Members of these groups are particularly vulnerable to false accusations, often because of their marginalized status in society. In many cases, accusations of blasphemy are used as a pretext for settling property disputes or personal grievances, with devastating consequences for the accused.
The tragic case of Dr. Kunbhar and countless others reveals a troubling pattern in Pakistan: the blasphemy laws have created a culture of fear and intolerance. Those who are accused of blasphemy, whether rightly or wrongly, are often left without any legal recourse. Even if they are acquitted by the courts, they remain at risk of being targeted by extremists. Many are forced into hiding or flee the country to escape violence.
While there have been some attempts by the judiciary to address the misuse of blasphemy laws, meaningful reform has been slow to materialize. The acquittal of Asia Bibi in 2018, for instance, was a landmark case that showed the possibility of judicial intervention. However, the public outcry and violent protests that followed her release demonstrated how entrenched support for these laws remains in large sections of Pakistani society.
The death of Dr. Shahmnawaz Kunbhar should prompt serious reflection on the state of blasphemy laws in Pakistan. These laws, which were meant to protect religious sentiments, have instead become tools for oppression, enabling mob violence, personal vendettas, and human rights abuses.
If Pakistan is to move forward, there must be a concerted effort to reform the blasphemy laws. This will require not only changes to the legal framework but also a shift in societal attitudes. Education, tolerance, and respect for the rule of law must be prioritized if the cycle of violence and abuse is to be broken.
Dr. Kunbhar’s death, like the deaths of so many others, serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for justice and reform. Without it, the tragedy of blasphemy accusations will continue to claim innocent lives in Pakistan.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Coverpage’s editorial stance.
