uetta police have faced severe criticism, particularly by human rights defenders, after a suspect in their custody was killed in an official lock-up.

Senior Superintendent of Police Muhammad Baloch stated on September 12 that a police officer accused of the killing had been arrested.

Abdul Ali, also known as Sakhi Lala, had been taken into custody a day earlier and moved to a heavily fortified station considering a charged mob was demanding that he be handed over to them and supporters of some religious parties had blocked traffic on city roads and were holding rallies.

“We have registered an FIR against the blasphemy suspect. We arrested him soon after receiving information about the incident,” police had said.

Syed Khan Sarhadi, the policeman accused of the murder, is said to have entered the police station by pretending that he was a relative of the detained man. He had then shot him dead. Following the shooting, Sarhadi was arrested and charged with murder.

In a press conference, tribal leader Haji Faizullah Noorzai, announced on behalf of the family of the deceased Sakhi Lala, that they had pardoned Sarhadi. The announcement was made in the presence of Sakhi Lala’s brothers, Bor Muhammad and Khair Muhammad, and his sons, Muhammad Wali and Usman.

According to a local journalist, Sakhi Lala, a resident of Quetta, had owned a hotel on Jabal Noor Road that has now been demolished. His arrest was based on a video available on social media.

A large crowd had gathered at the Khrotabad police station. The crowd tried to force their way in and some of the people damaged the main gate. Police had to fire shots into the air and use teargas to break the crowd.

The suspect was allegedly shot dead by a policeman while he was being held at the Cantonment Police Station.

A heated debate followed the incident on social media. Several people, including some clerics, described Syed Khan Sarhadi as a hero. A large number of people were reported to have visited his home to congratulate his family.

Journalist Jafar Khan Kakar told The News on Sunday that the mob that attacked the police station had been incited using social media.

Former MPA Bushra Rind praised Syed Khan in a tweet on X (formerly Twitter). Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam’s Senator Kamran Murtaza shared a tweet by Senator Shakoor Ghaibzai expressing solidarity with Syed Khan and offering to cover his legal expenses.

Following the arrest of the deceased Abdul Ali, also known as Sakhi Lala, his family was evicted from their home, and their hotel on Jabal Noor Road was razed to the ground. The family told TNS they had no comment to share.

Kakar said that the region had a history of violence provoked using religious references. “This incident is another link in that chain.”

Sakhi Lala’s son had released a video message before his murder saying that when his father was arrested, he had expressed his willingness to apologise and make a video statement. He said the police officers had told him to make the video at the police station. However, he was killed afterwards.

Social activist Imran Khan told TNS that the situation was alarming. He said no one seemed willing to engage in a constructive dialogue on the issue. He also said that police had failed to do their duty.

The writer is a freelance reporter