Mardan university reopens after Mashal's killing; police recover arms from hostel

 

MARDAN: After staying closed for over a month, the main campus of Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan reopened on Monday.

Students reached the varsity in the morning amid tight security. Moreover, political activities have been banned on the campus premises, according to varsity officials.

However, the university's Garden Campus, where student Mashal Khan was brutally killed by a mob on April 13, will be reopened on May 25, while classes at Shankar Campus will start from May 24. The decision to open the campuses phase-wise was taken at a meeting of the varsity's syndicate committee a few days ago.

The decision to open the campuses in phases was taken due to security concerns.

On Sunday, the deceased was remembered at his chehlum in Zaida, Swabi, his native town.

Mashal Khan's chehlum observed in Swabi

Prayers held for the deceased in his native town

A large number of locals visited Mashal's grave and held prayers for him. 

A Quran Khwani was also held at Mashal's house, where his family members had gathered to commemorate the chehlum.

Speaking to the media, Mashal's father Iqbal Jan reiterated his call for the arrest of the 'real' perpetrators of the murder.

Police have been arresting people suspected to be involved in the killing.

The recent most arrest was of a Zoology student at the university, identified as Hammad, increasing the number to arrested suspects to 57.

On May 16, the police arrested three more suspects, including a lecturer of Islamic Studies. Wajid, alias Malang, was a lecturer at a government degree college. Other suspects included students Jalal and Sajid.

According to the police, Wajid was the right-hand man of the main accused in the case, Arif, who is on the run and had also given an incendiary speech before Mashal was murdered by a mob.

Mashal, a journalism student, was stripped, beaten, shot, and thrown from the second floor of his hostel by a violent mob which had accused him of blasphemy.

Arms, drugs found in hostel

Police carried out a search operation in the university hostel on Sunday. 

 

During the operation, weapons and drugs were found in different rooms of the hostel, said Mardan DPO Dr Mian Saeed.

He added the weapons included four pistols, bullets and four sub-machine guns, while drugs included ice and hashish.