The family of a doctor accused of blasphemy says he was killed by police while in custody in southern Pakistan after he voluntarily surrendered following assurances that he would be given a chance to prove his innocence,

Dr Shahnawaz Kanbar was killed in a shootout with police in Sindh province amidst allegations of blasphemy that prompted him to flee near Mirpurkhas, approximately 250 km northeast of Karachi.

The victim had posted a video of himself from a hotel claiming that his account had been hacked and he could not even imagine sharing blasphemous content.

Police in southern Pakistan shot dead a blasphemy suspect during an alleged shootout with armed men, officials said Thursday, the second such apparent extra-judicial killing in a week, drawing condemnation from human rights groups.

Police in southern Pakistan have shot dead a doctor accused of blasphemy, drawing condemnation from human rights groups. Dr Shahnawaz Kanbhar was killed "just by chance" in shootout with officers who did not know it was him,

Pakistani authorities have suspended policemen who opened fire and killed a blasphemy suspect earlier this week, only to be applauded and showered with rose petals by local residents after the killing.

A Pakistani Christian woman, mother of four children, was sentenced to death for blasphemy in Islamabad on Thursday. She was convicted of posting offensive content on the WhatsApp communication channel.