SOURCE: AFI
In a significant development in the volatile region of Balochistan, Mufti Shah Meer, a figure accused of aiding Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in the kidnapping of former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Turbat, Pakistan, on Friday night, March 7, 2025. The killing has sparked widespread speculation about the motives and perpetrators, given Meer’s alleged ties to terrorist activities and his role in one of South Asia’s most contentious espionage cases.
According to reports from local authorities, Mufti Shah Meer was gunned down outside a mosque in Turbat, Balochistan’s second-largest city, shortly after offering prayers on Friday evening. Eyewitnesses stated that armed men on motorcycles opened fire on Meer, hitting him with multiple bullets. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to his injuries shortly afterward. The attackers fled the scene, and no group has yet claimed responsibility for the killing, leaving the incident shrouded in mystery.
Turbat, located in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province, has long been a hotspot for insurgent activities, sectarian violence, and targeted killings. The region’s complex socio-political landscape, marked by Baloch separatist movements and alleged state-sponsored crackdowns, provides a fertile ground for such incidents. Meer’s killing adds yet another layer of intrigue to an already turbulent area.
Mufti Shah Meer was a controversial figure, often described as a religious scholar with deep ties to extremist networks in Pakistan. Sources allege that Meer had close connections with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), a prominent Islamic political party in Pakistan, and was involved in illicit activities, including human trafficking, drug smuggling, and arms dealing, under the guise of religious operations. His most infamous alleged role, however, was his involvement in the abduction of Kulbhushan Jadhav, a former Indian Navy officer whose case has been a flashpoint in India-Pakistan relations since 2016.
According to Indian accounts, Meer played a pivotal role in facilitating Jadhav’s kidnapping from Iran in March 2016. Jadhav, who had taken premature retirement from the Indian Navy and was reportedly running a business in Chabahar, Iran, was allegedly abducted by a group linked to the ISI and handed over to Pakistani authorities. Pakistan claims Jadhav was arrested in Balochistan on charges of espionage and sabotage, a narrative India has consistently rejected, maintaining that Jadhav was a legitimate businessman kidnapped from Iran as part of a larger conspiracy to malign India.
Meer’s involvement in Jadhav’s abduction allegedly stemmed from his role as a middleman, coordinating between ISI operatives and local terrorist groups like Jaish al-Adl, which operates along the Iran-Pakistan border. His actions reportedly included gathering intelligence on Jadhav’s movements in Iran and aiding in his transfer to Pakistan, where Jadhav was subsequently sentenced to death by a military court in 2017—a verdict stayed by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) after India challenged the trial’s fairness and Pakistan’s violation of the Vienna Convention.
Meer’s killing is not an isolated incident in the context of the Kulbhushan Jadhav case. In November 2020, Mullah Omar Irani, another figure allegedly involved in Jadhav’s abduction and linked to Jaish al-Adl, was killed along with his two sons in Turbat under similar circumstances. Reports at the time speculated that the ISI itself may have eliminated Irani to cover its tracks, though no definitive evidence emerged to support this theory. Meer’s death follows a similar pattern, raising questions about whether his killing was an act of retribution, internal settling of scores, or an attempt to eliminate a liability with knowledge of sensitive operations.
Balochistan has witnessed numerous such assassinations in recent years, often attributed to a mix of separatist groups, state actors, or rival factions within extremist networks. Meer’s alleged ties to the ISI and his involvement in cross-border activities could have made him a target for any number of actors, including Baloch insurgents who oppose the Pakistani state and its intelligence apparatus, or even foreign entities seeking to disrupt ISI-linked operations.
The killing of Mufti Shah Meer comes at a time when India-Pakistan relations remain fraught, with the Kulbhushan Jadhav case continuing to be a sticking point. Jadhav, who remains in Pakistani custody, has been at the center of a diplomatic and legal battle between the two nations. India has consistently demanded consular access to Jadhav and a fair retrial, while Pakistan has accused him of orchestrating terrorist activities in Balochistan—a charge India dismisses as fabricated.
Meer’s death is unlikely to directly impact Jadhav’s case, but it underscores the murky underworld of espionage, terrorism, and covert operations that defines much of the India-Pakistan rivalry. For India, the elimination of a figure allegedly involved in Jadhav’s abduction may be seen as a form of poetic justice, though official statements from New Delhi have been cautious, avoiding direct commentary on the incident. On the Pakistani side, Meer’s killing could complicate narratives around Jadhav’s arrest, especially if it fuels speculation about internal dissent or cover-ups within the ISI.
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