Mardan lynching case: Ten suspects refuse to accept charges

PESHAWAR: As many as ten suspects on Tuesday refused to accept charges laid against them in the Mashal Khan lynching case.

According to reports, two staffers and eight students of Abdul Wali Khan University were brought in court after completion of their remand. The defendants rejected the charges before the magistrate, however, the judge ordered to send the suspects back to jail on judicial remand till May 16.

The defendants rejected the charges before the magistrate, however, the judge ordered to send the suspects back to jail on judicial remand till May 16.

Police have informed that 47 of the 49 accused in the case have been arrested for their alleged role in the lynching and are in jail on judicial remand; however, two suspects, including a councillor are on the run.

DPO Mardan had stated earlier that there are reports indicating the two absconding accused were hiding in tribal areas.   

The prime suspect in the murder case, Imran confessed to his crime before a city magistrate.

In his confessional statement, Imran said that he opened fire at Mashal because the deceased was guilty of blasphemy and he does not regret killing him.

Imran, a fellow student of Mashal, had fired three shots at Mashal Khan, of which two hit the deceased. The pistol used in the murder has also been seized.

The shooter was presented in an anti-terrorism court on Friday and remanded in police custody for four days along with other five other suspects.

Mashal Khan a student at the Abdul Wali Khan University in Mardan was lynched by an angry mob on the premises of the University after being accused of blasphemy.

Case registered

Two separate cases have been registered and police have arrested eight suspects in connection with the killing of Mashal Khan.

Mardan District Police Officer Dr Mian Saeed told Geo News on Friday the cases were registered under clauses 427, 297, 302 and 148 of the Pakistan Penal Code and section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

He said that 20 suspects, who were identified from videos of the gruesome incident, have been nominated in the cases registered at the Sheikh Maltoon police station.

The suspects included a councillor and four university employees besides students.

Police has formed three teams to arrest the remaining suspects, the DPO said.

The official added that 59 people have been detained over the incident and are being interrogated.

Meanwhile, the funeral prayers for the slain student, identified as Mohammad Mashal Khan, were offered at Zaida village in Swabi district on Friday morning.

‘Law of the jungle can’t prevail’

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan whose party is in power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa condemned the incident and called for action against those responsible for the murder.

Imran Khan urged for strict action against the culprits and said ‘law of the jungle’ cannot prevail.

The PTI chief also said he was in touch with IG Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over the condemnable incident.

Hope police, students involved are treated like murderers

The daughter of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and former President Asif Ali Zardari, Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari took to twitter the condemn the incident in Mardan.

Bakhtawar tweeted that no one has the right to take a life and it was condemned in every religion. “Hope the students and police involved are treated like the murderers they are.”