Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police has formed a 10-member joint investigation team (JIT) following the lynching of a local tourist in Swat accused of desecrating the Holy Quran.
Officials confirmed the arrest of 23 suspects based on CCTV footage. The tourist, Muhammad Suleman from Sialkot, was dragged from a police facility by a mob, tortured, killed, and set on fire on suspicion of burning pages of the Islamic scripture.
The JIT, comprising senior police officials and members of the Counter Terrorism Department, Special Branch, and Intelligence Bureau, aims to uncover the facts and bring the perpetrators to justice. Superintendent of Police Hazrat Khan, leading the JIT, stated that the team is systematically collecting evidence, including forensic analysis of the CCTV footage, and recording eyewitness statements.
Khan emphasized that the investigation is thorough, aiming to ensure all involved are brought to justice. He described how a mob stormed the police station, damaging property and vehicles before killing Suleman and burning his body. So far, 23 individuals have been arrested, with more arrests anticipated. The suspects face charges including premeditated murder, rioting, unlawful assembly, use of deadly weapons, and obstructing public servants.
Police spokesperson Nasir Iqbal detailed the damages caused by the mob, including the burning of two motorcycles, five personal vehicles, and one police mobile. The police station building was also ransacked. Iqbal confirmed that all arrested individuals were local residents, with no political leaders involved. The police report named 49 individuals identified through CCTV footage and listed over 2,000 others as unknown suspects.
Regarding accusations of police negligence, no inquiry has been initiated against the Station House Officer of the attacked police precinct. The details of the case will be included in the JIT report, which is still under investigation.
The incident was discussed in the National Assembly of Pakistan, where Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif stressed the parliament’s responsibility to protect people and minorities from such violence. He condemned the exploitation of the incident for political purposes and emphasized that Islam prohibits the killing of innocent people. Asif noted that no evidence of blasphemy has been found in such mob killings, often used to settle personal scores.
Security expert Syed Kaleem Imam highlighted the need to enhance police capacity to handle sensitive situations and educate the community to prevent such incidents. He pointed out that while there are standard operating procedures to handle such crimes, police often struggle to control mobs due to a lack of understanding.
Imam called for more community policing exercises and criticized the government for pandering to popular sentiment instead of taking firm action against crimes committed in the name of religion. He urged the government to sensitize the community through mosques and discourage the use of loudspeakers to spread messages during sensitive situations.
