ATC Abbottabad begins hearing Mashal Khan murder case

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Abbottabad began hearing the Mashal Khan murder case at the Central Jail Haripur on Wednesday, where the 57 arrested suspects were indicted in the case a day ago.

Justice Fazal Subhan of ATC Abbottabad is hearing the case amid strict security measures in the vicinity of Central Jail Haripur, where the accused are being held.

During the hearing, the cross-examination of seven witnesses took place.

Mashal's father Iqbal Khan and a large number of people from Mardan were also present during the trial. Iqbal also expressed satisfaction on the security measures of the trial. 

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Mashal, a journalism student at Abdul Wali Khan University in Mardan, was brutally killed by a violent mob on April 13, which had accused him of blasphemy.

Earlier, when the hearing of Mashal Khan case was started in Mardan, the petitioner Iqbal Khan and provincial government had requested the court to move the case from Mardan for fear of law and order situation.

At that time, Iqbal Khan had also disclosed that families of accused were pressurising him and he was afraid a fair trial may not take place.

On July 27, two members of Peshawar High Court bench ordered to move the case to ATC Abbottabad and shifted the accused to Central Jail Haripur.