Family of blasphemy suspect forgives police officer after custody death in Quetta

Suspect was moved to a secure facility earlier due to rising tensions from a mob demanding his release

The family of a man who died in police custody on blasphemy charges has decided to forgive the police officer involved in his death, according to reports from Quetta on Wednesday.

On September 12, the officer allegedly killed the blasphemy suspect while he was being held at a police station. Senior Superintendent of Police Muhammad Baloch confirmed that the officer, who gained access by posing as a relative, has since been arrested.

The suspect had been moved to a more secure facility earlier that week due to rising tensions from a mob demanding his release. Protests led by the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and other religious groups had blocked roads and escalated tensions in the provincial capital, including an attack on the Kharotabad police station with a grenade.

At a press conference on Wednesday, family members of the deceased, alongside Haji Faizullah Noorzai, the chief of the Noorzai tribe, distanced themselves from the blasphemy allegations. 

They condemned the suspect's actions, affirming their commitment to honour the Holy Prophet (PBUH), and announced their unconditional forgiveness of Officer Saad Muhammad Sarhadi. They stated that they would not pursue legal action against him.

In a separate statement, JUI-P Senator Abdul Shakoor Khan expressed his support for the police officer during a Senate meeting, asserting that he would cover his legal expenses. 

Khan argued that the officer acted out of a lack of faith in the legal system, blaming the broader legal framework rather than the officer himself. He maintained the importance of swift justice for those accused of blasphemy, suggesting that such cases should be resolved much more quickly.