Claim: Several Indian media outlets including Republic World and Deccan Herald claimed that Mufti Shah Mir, who was killed in Turbat on Saturday, was an Iran-based Pakistani businessman who had been involved in the arrest of Indian spy Kalbhushan Yadav in 2016.

Fact: Maulana Shah Mir Aziz Buzdar was a Jamiat-e-Ulema (F) officeholder in Balochistan and had no links to businesses in Iran. He had been actively involved in political activities and had worked as a religious scholar and had even taught at seminaries in Balochistan for many years.

The full story:

Maulana Shah Mir Aziz Buzdar, a prominent religious scholar, mufti, and regional office holder of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F), was shot to death on the night of March 8 in Turbat. 

Buzdar was shot from behind during the eighteenth rakat of taraweeh prayers at the Jamia Masjid in the Malk Abad area of Turbat city.  He was immediately transported to the Turbat Teaching Hospital, where doctors confirmed his death.

His funeral prayers were held at the Turbat football stadium and were attended by thousands of mourners. He was subsequently buried in his ancestral village of Pidark, 45 kilometers from Turbat city.

Buzdar received his initial education in Pidark.  Due to his religious inclination, his father enrolled him in the Jamia Binoria in Karachi for an Aalimi (religious scholarship) course.  After completing his course, he also pursued a Mufti course.

Following his graduation from the madrasa, he resided with relatives in the Malikabad area of Turbat.  Alongside teaching at local madrasas, he also mediated and resolved local disputes.

Buzdar was a significant member of the JUI-F, serving as the general secretary for Turbat tehsil as well as the naib amir for Kech. He had married thrice.

His father was a well-known local political figure and considered a tribal leader. His father served as the Nazim (administrator) of the Pidark Union Council during the Musharraf era and was associated with the BNP (Balochistan National Party) Awami Ahsan Shah group.

JUI spokesperson Aslam Ghauri condemned the attack and said that Buzdar was the fourth JUI leader to be targeted in a single week, but authorities had made no progress to arrest the perpertrators.

Meanwhile, several Indian social media accounts claimed that Buzdar was an ‘Iran-based Pakistani businessman’ who had been involved in the arrest of Indian spy Kalbhushan Yadav.

However, the claims do not seem to hold weight as Buzdar was a JUI-F office holder who was active in political activities and was a religious scholar, not a businessman, who had taught at seminaries in Balochistan.