In a tragic turn of events in southern Pakistan, police officers shot dead Dr. Shahnawaz Kanbhar, a doctor accused of blasphemy. The incident took place in Sindh province where Dr. Kanbhar was gunned down by officers during a shootout. The police, unaware of his identity, engaged in gunfire while attempting to search two men on a motorcycle, one of whom opened fire. Dr. Kanbhar's death comes just a week after another blasphemy suspect was fatally wounded by an officer in Quetta city.

Following Dr. Kanbhar's killing, human rights groups have condemned the extrajudicial actions taken by the police. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed grave concern over the deaths of the two individuals accused of blasphemy. Dr. Kanbhar, who had gone into hiding after being accused of insulting Prophet Muhammad and sharing blasphemous content online, saw his family face obstacles in burying his body due to local opposition.

The pattern of violence in cases involving blasphemy accusations has raised alarms among rights advocates. The authorities have initiated an independent inquiry into Dr. Kanbhar's death. Instances of vigilante justice in blasphemy cases are not uncommon in Pakistan, where accusations can lead to deadly mob violence. Such incidents reflect the heightened tensions and risks faced by those accused under Pakistan's strict blasphemy laws, which prescribe death sentences for those convicted of insulting Islam or its religious figures.