Pakistani police say they have arrested the key suspect in the gang rape of a woman polio worker who was assaulted by three men during last week’s vaccination campaign.

Pakistani authorities have apprehended a key suspect in the gang rape of a female polio worker. Ahmad Jakhrani, one of the three men accused of the assault, was arrested overnight, local police confirmed on Wednesday.

Dr Kanbhar had gone into hiding on Tuesday after being accused of insulting Islam’s prophet Muhammad and sharing blasphemous content on social media. He is the second blasphemy suspect in Pakistan to be shot dead in the space of a week.

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.

The family of a blasphemy suspect killed in custody in southwestern Pakistan has forgiven the police officer accused of killing him, saying they would not press charges "in the name of God".