ATC questions FIA over new FIR in Shahnawaz Kumbhar case

The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Thursday demanded clarification from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) over its decision to register a second FIR in an alleged extrajudicial killing of Dr. Shahnawaz Kumbhar.

The ATC Judge questioned under what law the FIA filed the new FIR when a case had already been registered at Sindhri police station.

In response, the FIA requested more time to present its explanation. Five suspects were in custody alongside 17 others who attended the hearing. DSP Aslam Jageerani submitted the police investigation report, while the FIA also presented its own findings on the case.

Dr. Kumbhar, a senior medical officer accused of blasphemy, was killed in a reportedly staged police encounter in Mirpur Khas on September 19, a day after his arrest. An inquiry led by Sindh Police chief Ghulam Nabi Memon exposed significant misconduct by Umerkot and Mirpur Khas police officials, who allegedly fabricated the encounter to legitimise the killing.

The Sindh High Court had previously ordered the FIA to file the second FIR, placing names of 46 accused, including senior police officials, on the Exit Control List (ECL).

Subsquently, the ATC adjourned the hearing until November 16.

Earlier on October 15, a medical board led by the chief police surgeon completed the exhumation of Dr. Kumbhar’s body.

A special medical board exhumed the body of Dr. Shahnawaz Kunbhar, who was accused of blasphemy and killed in what was suspected to be a staged encounter by the Mirpurkhas police on September 19. The exhumation took place on Tuesday under tight security at Janhero village, located 17 kilometers from Umerkot.

The board, headed by Dr. Wasim, acting police surgeon of Hyderabad, included AMS (medico-legal) of Liaquat University Hospital (LUH) Hyderabad, Dr. Tahir Qureshi; forensic expert from LUMHS, Prof. Dr. Wahid Nahiyoon; pathologist Dr. Rahil Khan, and other medical professionals. During the exhumation, 13 samples were collected from the body for chemical analysis. Additionally, the body was X-rayed in the presence of judicial magistrate Aamir Rajput before being reburied.

According to the medical board, the collected samples will be sent for chemical testing, and the results are expected to be available within a month.

Umerkot SSP Uzair Ahmed Memon, who oversaw the security arrangements, confirmed that the investigation would proceed based on the findings of the post-mortem report.

He also restricted journalists from approaching the gravesite during the exhumation to maintain security.

Earlier, the Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has called on the provincial government to conduct a thorough investigation into the case of Dr Shahnawaz Kumbhar, saying that it was mishandled by police.