A Pakistani Islamic scholar who allegedly helped spy agency ISI abduct former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav from Iran was assassinated by unidentified gunmen in Balochistan, according to reports.
### **Who was Mufti Shah Mir?**
The Muslim scholar was identified as Mufti Shah Mir who is allegedly involved in human, drug and weapon trafficking. Being a member of the fundamentalist Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) party, he was instrumental in spreading religious extremism in Balochistan province.
Mir has reportedly visited Pakistani state-sponsored terror camps and helped the terorists cross to India illegally. He has also been to Afghanistan to collect to spy for the ISI. Besides helping ISI kidnap Jadhav from Iran, Mir has plotted abductions and killings of Baloch youths.
This is not the first assassination attempt on the cleric. Mir who is close to ISI had previously survived two attempts on his life.
### How was Mufti Shah Mir assassinated?
Reports said Mufti Shah Mir was departing from a mosque after offering prayers when he was targeted.
The assailants fired multiple rounds at point blank range before they fled the spot. Mir who was rushed to hospital died there.
The mosque's location was identified as Turbat, a city in Kech district of southern Balochistan. It was in Turbat that Mir ordered the killing of a teacher, Abdul Rauf, over alleged blasphemy in 2023.
Last week, two other members of Mir's party were shot dead by bike-borne gunmen in "targeted killings". They were identified as Wadera Ghulam Sarwar and Molvi Amanullah.
### **Kulbhuhan Jadhav's abduction and framing**
The former Indian Navy officer, Kulbhushan Jadhav, was captured by ISI from Iran and brought illegally to Pakistan. He was tortured by ISI to confess to crimes under force. Pakistan framed Jadhav for spying and handed him death penalty.
However, India appealed in the International Court of Justice to stay his execution. The ICJ stayed the execution on July 17, 2019 and ordered Pakistan to provide India with consular access.