Pakistan suspends policemen applauded by locals for killing a blasphemy suspect

Pakistani authorities on Friday suspended policemen who had opened fire and killed a blasphemy suspect in the country’s south earlier this week, only to be applauded and showered with rose petals by local residents after the killing.

The death of Shah Nawaz — a doctor in Sindh province who went into hiding after being accused of insulting Islam’s Prophet Muhammad and sharing blasphemous content on social media — was the second such apparent extra-judicial killing by police in a week, drawing condemnation from human rights groups.

The local police chief, Niaz Khoso, said Nawaz was killed unintentionally when officers in the city of Mirpur Khas signaled for two men on a motorcycle to stop on Wednesday night Instead of stopping, the men opened fire and tried to flee, prompting police to shoot.