Reports indicate that the Pakistani man, alleged to have helped the ISI abduct former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav from Iran, was shot by unidentified gunmen in Balochistan on Friday night.
The religious “scholar” was recognized as Mufti Shah Mir in the province, having previously endured two assassination attempts. He was recognized for his involvement in human trafficking.
Reports indicate that unidentified gunmen, alleged to have killed multiple terrorists in Pakistan lately, ambushed Mir while he was leaving a local mosque in Turbat after prayers.
The assailants shot at him several times from close range, leading to Mir’s death in the hospital, reports Dawn.
In March 2016, a group led by Mullah Omar Irani of Jaish al-Adl abducted Jadhav from the Iran-Pakistan border. He was subsequently transferred to the Pakistani army via different intermediaries, including Mir.
ALSO READ: A Kuki-Zo Voice: Is ‘Free Movement’ a Smokescreen for Subjugation?
WHO WAS MUFTI SHAH MIR?
Mir operated as an arms and human trafficker while posing as a scholar affiliated with the fundamentalist group, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI). He maintained a strong connection with the ISI, Pakistan’s intelligence agency.
Reports indicate that Mir often visited terrorist camps in Pakistan and helped them in their attempts to infiltrate the Indian side of the border.
As reported by The Times of India, Mir was instrumental in the kidnapping and murder of numerous Baloch young men while in detention. He also had a major influence on the spread of religious extremism in Balochistan.
Mir had lately limited his activities following two assassination attempts on him the previous year.
Mir played a crucial role in actively delivering intelligence regarding Baloch fighters to the Pakistani army. He ordered the murder of a teacher called Abdul Rauf in 2023 due to supposed blasphemy in Turbat.