A Pakistani policeman shoots and kills a blasphemy suspect held at a police station

Associated Press

QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — A local Pakistani official says a policeman opened fire inside a police station in the southwestern city of Quetta, killing a suspect held on accusations of blasphemy. Police identified the man killed on Thursday as Syed Khan. He had been arrested the day before, after officers snatched him from an enraged mob that claimed he had insulted Islam’s Prophet Muhammad. Killings of suspects while in police custody are rare in Pakistan. However, accusations of blasphemy — sometimes even just rumors — are common and often spark rioting that can escalate into lynching and killings. Police said the officer involved in the fatal shooting was arrested but didn’t provide further details.