FAISALABAD, July 7: A special police team has reportedly identified six persons who were mainly responsible for instigating the mob to stone the blasphemy accused, Zahid Shah, in Chak Jhumra.

A senior police officer requesting anonymity told this scribe here on Sunday that President Pervez Musharraf and Governor Khalid Maqbool had taken serious notice of the Chak Jhumra incident and asked the police that the accused involved in this tragic crime should not be spared at any cost.

He said three teams of the police and other intelligence agencies were given a task to identify the miscreants who had led or provoked the mob.

Source also revealed that Pesh Imam Maulvi Faqir Ahmed, who had issued the decree (Fatwa) against Zahid Shah, and five others, who dragged him out of his house, were identified as the main culprits.

However, the major instigator, Maulvi Faqir Ahmed, could not be arrested.

“Special police commandos in plainclothes have been deputed who are watching the accused, and they can be picked at any movement. The secrecy of this action is being kept to avoid reaction from the villagers,” source said.

In the meanwhile, Chak Jhumra Police Station confirmed that a police team had brought back the body of Zahid from Madina Town, Faisalabad, before burial and got conducted the postmortem from area’s Tehsil Headquarter Hospital.

The police also told Dawn that over 50 wounds by iron rods, sticks and stones were found on Zahid’s body including in the head, chest, face, legs, arms. The cause of death was said to be excessive bleeding.

Family members of Zahid Shah have not yet lodged a formal complaint of the incident and identified the culprits fearing a reaction from the villagers who were still in a charged and threatening mood.

Opinion

Respite needed

Respite needed

All one can fear is a familiar accounting exercise that aims to extract a few more rupees from a narrow, weary economic base.

Editorial

Soft on traders
08 Jun, 2026

Soft on traders

THE Fixed Tax Asaan Scheme for traders with an annual turnover of up to Rs200m has been designed as a ‘pragmatic...
Ceasefire in name
Updated 08 Jun, 2026

Ceasefire in name

Both sides accuse the other of violating the truce that was supposed to halt the conflict in April, yet neither appears willing to abandon negotiations altogether.
Damaged childhoods
08 Jun, 2026

Damaged childhoods

CHILD abuse is so prevalent that the UN ranked Pakistan as the least safe country for children. Even so, more than...
JAAC ban
Updated 07 Jun, 2026

JAAC ban

Though the JAAC’s demands are open to scrutiny, banning any political organisation — as long as it remains committed to peaceful activism — is undemocratic.
GB election
Updated 07 Jun, 2026

GB election

It is important that whichever party ultimately forms the government puts the needs of the people of GB above everything else.
ODI win
07 Jun, 2026

ODI win

AT last, the Pakistan cricket team had something to celebrate: a One-day International series victory against...