Representational image.
Representational image.
Mufti Shah Mir, a prominent Pakistani scholar, was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Balochistan province, according to a media report. Mufti was accused of helping Pakistan's ISI spy agency in kidnapping former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav from Iran.
Mir was targeted in the Turbat town of Kech on Friday when he was leaving a mosque after night prayers, the Dawn newspaper said.
“Armed men riding motorcycles opened fire on Mufti Shah Mir, leaving him seriously injured,” the paper quoted police as saying.
He was immediately shifted to Turbat hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
The deceased received multiple bullet injuries that caused his death.
Mufti Shah Mir was close to the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (JUI-F) who worked as an arms and human trafficker under the cover of a scholar, according to The Times of India. He was also close to the ISI. Reports suggest that he often visited terror camps in Pakistan and helped terrorists infiltrate into the Indian territory.
He previously survived two attempts on his life. The attack came days after two leaders of JUI-F were shot dead in Khuzdar.
What is Kulbhushan Jadhav Case
Kulbhushan Jadhav, a retired Indian Navy officer who was running a business in Chabahar, Iran, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court in 2017 on espionage charges.
India strongly criticised the ruling, alleging that Pakistan had denied Jadhav a fair trial.
His execution was halted in 2019 with the International Court of Justice asking Pakistan to review his conviction and grant him consular access.
He was kidnapped from near the Iran-Pakistan border in 2016 and handed over to the Pakistani army. He is currently in the Pakistani prison.
Mullah Omar Irani, a member of Jaish al-Adl who played a key role in kidnapping Jadhav, was allegedly shot dead by ISI operatives in Turbat in 2020.
In 2021, Pakistan adopted a bill to allow Mr Jadhav appeal his conviction, but India said the law had the same "shortcomings" of a previous legislation and "failed" to create an atmosphere that will ensure a fair trial in this case.