Dawn reported that the slain man was a Shia religious scholar. He was attending a festival along with his friend Hasnain Shah in Shorkot tehsil, where they were attacked by a man.
The slain scholar, Taqi, was on a motorcycle and he fell on the road after being attacked. The murderer then used an axe to kill him. Taqi's friend remained unharmed and is a witness in the case. Later, the accused escaped the crime scene. Police shifted the body to a hospital for medicolegal formalities.
Dawn quoted Jhang DPO Sarfraz Virk as saying that the victim was under trial for blasphemy accusations in a court since 2019.
Police have reportedly registered a murder case against three suspects including two unidentified persons at Shorkot City police station.