Mufti Shah Mir, who helped ISI kidnap Kulbhushan Jadhav, shot dead
Mufti Shah Mir, a Pakistani Islamic scholar involved in abduction of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav from Iran, was killed by unidentified gunmen
Mufti Shah Mir, a Pakistani Islamic scholar who allegedly helped spy agency ISI abduct former Indian navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav from Iran, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Turbat in Balochistan.
According to reports, Mir, who was allegedly involved in human, drug and weapon trafficking, was leaving the local mosque after prayers when two bikers waylaid him and shot him multiple times at point blank range. The bikers then fled from the spot.
Mir was rushed to the hospital but he succumbed to his injuries.
The mosque is situated in Turbat, a city in Kech district of southern Balochistan. Coincidentally, it was in Turbat that Mir had once got a teacher, Abdul Rauf killed for alleged blasphemy in 2023.
Mir who is close the ISI had survived two attempts on his life previously. Last week, two of his associates were also killed by unidentified gunmen on bikes in "targeted killings".
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Who is Mufti Shah Mir?
Mir is a member of the fundamentalist Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) party, and was instrumental in spreading religious extremism in Balochistan province, said reports. However, he operated as a scholar.
Mir has reportedly visited Pakistani state-sponsored terror camps and was responsible for helping terrorists cross over to India illegally. He also went to Afghanistan to allegedly spy for the ISI.
Besides helping ISI kidnap Jadhav from Iran, Mir plotted several abductions and killings of Baloch youths and is a key conduit linked to ISI-led death squads. He was supplying information about Baloch fighters to the Pakistan army.
Kidnapping of Jadhav
In March 2016, the former Indian Navy officer, Kulbhushan Jadhav, was captured by ISI from Iran and brought illegally to Pakistan. He was tortured by ISI to confess to crimes under force. Pakistan framed Jadhav for spying and handed him death penalty.
However, India appealed in the International Court of Justice to stay his execution. The ICJ stayed the execution on July 17, 2019 and ordered Pakistan to provide India with consular access. He is currently in a prison in Pakistan.
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Why Mir was killed?
Mir is suspected of being killed by ISI pperatives due to an internal conflict, said reports.