4 October 2022
By Rehan Piracha
LAHORE: A disabled young man was forcibly drowned in a pond by a man who accused him of committing blasphemy in Mirpur Mathello tehsil of Ghotki district.
Local police have arrested the suspected killer identified as Muhammad Hassan Kalwar after a video went viral on social in which he is seen confessing to drowning Ghulam Abbas Kalwar in a pond near a local shrine in Muhammad Siddique village of Mirpur Mathello.
Ghulam Abbas Kalwar, who was born without upper limbs, had been living at a local shrine named Muhammad Hasan Kalwar Dargah Lal Shah for over a decade, Sarfraz Ali, younger brother of Ghulam Abbas Kalwar, told Voicepk.net over the phone from Mirpur Mathello.
According to the first information report registered with Mirpur Mathello police station, complainant Sarfraz Ali said that a week ago, his elder brother Abbas Kalwar had told him that Muhammad Hasan Kalwar visited Dargah Lal Shah and threatened to kill him if he did not stop worship at the graves.
On October 1, Sarfraz Ali said they were standing near the Dargah when the accused Muhammad Hasan and an unknown person came there and threatened his elder brother, adding that Hassan Kalwar had a bottle in his hand with petrol in it.
“The accused sprinkled petrol on my brother and the unidentified person with him took out a match to start a fire,” Sarfraz said in the FIR. “My brother ran away in fear but they chased him to a pond where he fell into the water,” he added. Sarfraz told police that the accused forcibly drowned his brother in the pond. They later took the body to the hospital where the post-mortem was conducted.
Sarfraz Ali told Voicepk.net that Hassan Kalwar was a distant relative. However, he expressed dissatisfaction with the ongoing police investigations. He said the police had not yet arrested or identified Hassan’s accomplice who residents had seen with him. Muhammad Hassan Kalwar is on physical remand with the Mirpur Mathello police.
In a written response, Ghotki Senior Superintendent of Police Tanveer Tunio said the police were to ascertain many things in the case. “The case is still under investigation and we shall complete formal investigation in 14 days,” he said.
The senior police official refused to divulge any details as to whether any evidence has been found to substantiate claims of blasphemy made by the murder accused. SSP Tanveer Tunio said he has asked the family of the victim to meet him tomorrow (October 5) as police needed time to dig out further evidence in the case.
According to residents, the deceased, Abbas Kalwar, used to do all the work with the help of his feet. He could be seen running a hand pump with his feet to draw water as well as using his lower limbs to stamp the ballot in the elections. He was an example of courage and perseverance locally and the state broadcaster PTV had also made a report on him.
