18-year-old boy tortured to death by 'fake pir' in Bahawalnagar

An 18-year-old boy seeking spiritual healing in Bahawalnagar died from alleged torture by a fake faith healer or pir, it emerged on Friday. 

The local police registered a case of the incident that took place in the Takht Mahal area.

The deceased's brother, Zulqarnain, reported that Pir Zaheer Ahmed visited their home a few days ago and claimed that his brother was possessed by a jinn.

The fake pir convinced the victim’s family to leave the boy in his care for treatment.

According to him, he went to see Pir Zaheer on Wednesday after learning about his brother's deteriorating condition and found him dead. 

Zulqarnain demanded justice and alleged that his brother was tortured and killed by Pir Zaheer. 

The Bahawalnagar police have registered a case against the accused pir and are currently conducting a thorough investigation into the incident.

Such incidents of individuals falling victim to fake pirs, disguised as faith healers, are not uncommon in Pakistan.

The practice of faith healing involves prayers with the belief that they can trigger divine intervention in both spiritual and physical healing.

In numerous incidents, individuals have harmed themselves or others following the instructions of fake pirs. 

The fraudulent faith healers have also been found to sexually assault their female followers.

Despite these incidents, they continue to operate in the shadows, misleading vulnerable people.