Mardan lynching: Seven more suspects remanded into police custody

MARDAN: Seven suspects booked in Abdul Wali Khan University student Mashal Khan's murder were presented in court Sunday.

The civil court announced a one-day police remand of the arrested individuals. All of the seven suspects were arrested a day earlier.

Eight other suspects arrested in the murder case are presently in a four-day police remand.

With an additional arrest, the total number of arrested suspects is now sixteen.

According to The News, a report compiled by the university said that on April 13 at about 1.00 PM, a group of students in the form of a mob stormed the Journalism and Mass Communication Department in search of three students, including Mashal Khan.

Read more: Mashal's killing barbaric act

The report added that Provost Fayyaz Ali Shah, director administration and security in-charge, along with police officials entered the Journalism and Mass Communication department to bring the situation under control. However, the report states that the mob turned violent and beat up the students.

According to the report, Chief Proctor Dr Idrees and Ziaullah Hamdard, who is a lecturer at Journalism Department, and director sports were already present in the office of the chairman Journalism Department.

Later, the mob attacked Hostel Number 1 and shot Mashal Khan dead and were about to burn his body when the police arrived. It said an investigation was being carried out and a detailed report would be submitted soon.

Judicial Inquiry

Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak has signed the summary of a judicial inquiry into the murder Mashal Khan.

"A judicial inquiry will be conducted for Khan's murder," spokesperson KP government Mushtaq Ghani said while talking to Geo News. "The summary for a judicial inquiry into the case has been sent to Peshawar High Court."

Read more: CJP takes Suo moto notice of Mashal Khan’s killing

Fake Facebook account

It was learnt that the deceased student, in December last year, had informed about a fake account being operated in his name on social networking website Facebook. The 23-year-old had mentioned in his post that whoever was operating his fake account was trying to blackmail him.

Read more: Mashal Khan informed of a fake account operated in his name

Khan had expressed fears that the one operating the account could be one of his friends, who might be using it to defame him. He had expressed the same thoughts via his Twitter handle.

Some posts on Khan's Facebook profile show him expressing his utmost respect for the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). However, it has yet to be ascertained whether the comments were made on his fake profile or the real one.

Police and varsity officials say the law enforcers are reviewing statements by students and university staffers. Along with this, the messages being posted on Facebook and comments on these posts are also being analysed carefully.

Sources revealed that the deceased’s mobile phone data has been attained by the authorities and the Federal Investigation Agency will be asked to investigate the fake account.

On the matter, interior ministry said that the police and the provincial government haven’t submitted a petition for FIA to initiate a probe. After a petition is submitted, then after the permission of interior ministry FIA will begin its investigation.

Controversial notification

Abdul Wali Khan University’s journalism department head Sheeraz Paracha claimed that the controversial notification issued by the varsity, seeking inquiry into blasphemy allegations against three students including slain Mashal Khan, was a product of misunderstanding.

He said that when the notification was issued he wasn’t on the university premises but, after hearing about it, he organised a protest. After the protest, the notification was taken back, he claimed.

Earlier, university’s provost, Fayyaz Ali Shah, had denied having any part in the varsity’s notification—dated April 13, the same day Mashal was brutally murdered by an enraged mob. Interestingly, the notification included Shah's name among the six-member committee to probe the allegations. 

Last interview 

“Everyone is a thief,” said Mashal in a past interview to a private TV channel which emerged a day after his brutal murder at the hands of a mob that accused him of blasphemy. 

In his last interview, the deceased student talked about the situation in his university and said the career of multiple students was in limbo due to the absence of the vice-chancellor.

Read more: Mashal's last interview

Mashal highlighted that the vice-chancellor of Abdul Wali Khan University hadn't visited the campus since March 20 and had not signed the degrees of a number of students.

'Always respected religion'

Mashal's grieving father told Geo News his deceased son had always respected religion and was focused primarily on his education.

"Mashal used to talk about the teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) with the family members at home. His prime focus was on education," the father, a local poet, said.

Read more: Malala strongly criticises Mashal’s killing in video message

"Everyone here is a witness to this.. he always respected religion. He was a critic of the system, he rarely spoke, just used to stay silent mostly," the father lamented.

"Being a father, I want justice," he demanded from the authorities.