In a disturbing incident in Pak-occupied Balochistan, a suspect arrested on charges of alleged blasphemy was shot dead by a police officer inside the lock-up of the Cantonment Police Station in Quetta. The suspect, who had been detained just a day earlier, was killed by Constable Syed Khan, who opened fire on him while in custody.
Occupied authorities have confirmed that the shooter has been arrested, but the incident has raised alarm over the apparent transfer of Punjab’s brand of religious extremism to POB, a province already suffering from ethnic tensions and unrest caused by Pak Army. The rise of such incidents, traditionally more common in Punjab, signals a worrying trend as radical ideologies continue to permeate law enforcement and society in POB.
Recently, a Christian man has been tortured and hanged to death in Sargodha, Punjab, following allegations of blasphemy. Such incidents are a part of a disturbing pattern of religious persecution where blasphemy laws are frequently exploited against minority communities.
In Punjab, terrorists groups like Tehreek-e-Labbaik are given a free hand, wreaking havoc in the region denying even basic rights. Individuals merely accused of blasphemy are subjected to mob justice and witch trials, with minorities being the only targets of such violence.