Mardan university student laid to rest; FIR registered against 20 for murder
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A First Information Report (FIR) was registered by police on Friday against members of a lynch mob that brutally assaulted two university students ─ killing one and injuring another ─ over alleged blasphemy in Mardan a day earlier.
The FIR has been lodged in Sheikh Maltoon police station against 20 suspects, of whom eight have been arrested, Mardan District Police Officer Dr Mian Saeed said.
The suspects were identified through video footage of the incident, while the police have formed three teams to arrest the remaining suspects, Dr Ahmed stated.
On April 13, Abdul Wali Khan University students Mashal and Abdullah were targeted by a violent mob on campus premises, that killed Mashal and injured Abdullah for allegedly "publishing blasphemous content online", according to police.
The campus was shut down following the incident until further notice and its hostels vacated to avoid a further escalation of violence.
'My son has come home now'
Iqbal, Mashal's father and a local poet, said that the police asked if he suspected any one person, to which he had responded that he wasn't present at the university himself, but there were cameras and the incident has been recorded.
He was speaking to Mashaal Radio ─ a Pashto news service serving the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
"It wasn't just my son, other people were also injured. The government's writ has been challenged," he maintained, adding that if the government can safeguard its writ, it should also ask after his son.
No one in my neighborhood has ever had a problem with any of my sons, Iqbal said, adding that Mashal, when discussing various issues, would often make references to the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) in his arguments.
His mother asked him when he would be coming home from university, to which Mashal replied that he had holidays on Saturday and Sunday, and would therefore be leaving for home Friday.
"He has come home now," he said.
Funeral prayers for Mashal were offered early Friday in Kalu Khan, Swabi District, where he was laid to rest.
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Comments (60) Closed
Apr 14, 2017 11:06am
FIR registered ...... then what ? The religious right will create a noise and the Nawaz government will buckle because for them political patronage is more important than human rights..
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Apr 14, 2017 11:11am
Look forward to quick justice!
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Apr 14, 2017 11:12am
This should be around the correct number (20) that were directly hitting the body of the murdered student as seen in the video(s) and they should be punished according to law for murder.
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Apr 14, 2017 11:21am
nothing is going to change...
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Apr 14, 2017 11:40am
What will happen we know for sure i.e. only "Law of rich & influential to prevail" , as we have seen in this country !
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Apr 14, 2017 12:17pm
FIR against 20 means crime is divided by 20 for its severity making it just about nothing. So, the result will be equally divided. In the end, it would be termed as a mob action and forgotten.
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Apr 14, 2017 01:47pm
Sick!!! Animal Behavior by these goons. My heart is broken Mashal I miss you my brother!!!
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Apr 14, 2017 02:20pm
Today I am ashamed to be from Mardan!
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Apr 14, 2017 02:25pm
God bless Pakistan.
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Apr 14, 2017 02:34pm
Give these murderers exemplary punishment.
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Apr 14, 2017 02:41pm
Kids should be taught secular , social, humanistic , cultural values in colleges. The people who fill the mind of youngsters with hatred, inhumanity and intolerance should be punished. Hope good sense prevails.
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Apr 14, 2017 02:46pm
It is now the responsibility of the provincial government to pursue the case till the end and make sure that prepertrators are punished.
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Apr 14, 2017 02:47pm
Ruthless action against all responsible
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Apr 14, 2017 02:50pm
All the extremist parties welcome in this country to bully minorities and impose their agenda..I miss Musharaf, we were going forward when he was in power...
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Apr 14, 2017 02:51pm
What a brilliant, confident, positive, coherent and well meaning message by a father on his dead son's funeral!!!!!
All the culprits must face exemplary punishment and soon!
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Apr 14, 2017 03:00pm
I am hopeless.
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Apr 14, 2017 03:16pm
As usual no action will be taken against culprits..Long live so called democracy....
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Apr 14, 2017 03:16pm
We pray for Mashal and his family. Very sad
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Apr 14, 2017 03:18pm
Where is Radd ul Fasad?
I wonder if the crime is heinous enough to be tried by the military court?
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Apr 14, 2017 03:19pm
Where is Radd ul Fasad?
I wonder if the crime is heinous enough to be tried by the military court?
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Apr 14, 2017 03:35pm
What a brutal act of violence. Shame for PTI Government in the province.
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Apr 14, 2017 04:01pm
look at the patience of his father indicate the patience and Torrence of his son ! Great
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Apr 14, 2017 04:03pm
The Universty will no doubt want to expel them, to protect its own name and reputation, but not entirely the liability.
This was cold-blooded murder in broad daylight. These students should be made an example of to deter future violent incidents like this anywhere in the country.
Lastly, the University and Provincial Government needs to enlighten the youth into tolerance and not taking the law into their own hands. That's why Police, Courts and Judges exist.
Very sad chapter in the history of the nation. We need to grow and use our brains before using our hands.
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Apr 14, 2017 04:25pm
Please interrogate Jamate Islami and JUIF also.Whats their purpose of existence in Pakistan causing hatred and intolerance.
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Apr 14, 2017 04:29pm
@zulfiqar Ali what pti has to do with this? Can you explain.
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Apr 14, 2017 04:40pm
Those involved in this crime should be tried and identified. They cannot be part of any society . CM KPK made a very casual and soft statement about the killing
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Apr 14, 2017 04:40pm
Sad sad day :(
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Apr 14, 2017 04:46pm
Is this country or jungle?
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Apr 14, 2017 04:48pm
Do these (barbaric) people understant the meaning of Islam (peace).
Its a hopeless situation in Pakistan unfortunately.
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Apr 14, 2017 04:51pm
It was a heinous crime. The perpetrators must be tried by military courts.
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Apr 14, 2017 04:53pm
My heart sunked as I watched gruesome video
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Apr 14, 2017 05:07pm
Murderers should be tried in the military court
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Apr 14, 2017 05:28pm
It is a national shame, that's what it is, a national shame.
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Apr 14, 2017 05:32pm
I just want to know for curiosity sake if there are any role models in the Mardan University who can come forward on media and claim that they tried their best to save the victims.
The supposedly good students were watching all this from a safe distance. The sad part is that there were no such students who tried to avert this tragic happenning but failed.
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Apr 14, 2017 05:38pm
why such kinds of incidents are in our country only .
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Apr 14, 2017 05:51pm
Exemplary punishment should be given to perpetrators if we want to avoid such tragedies in future. Otherwise get ready for more lawlessness.
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Apr 14, 2017 06:00pm
Who are these people in the mob, there are videos, why not name names, lets be public about their names and specially their associations, who is behind creating these vigilante mobsters, who is the real evil mind?
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Apr 14, 2017 06:57pm
@Parvez mardan has PTI government.
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Apr 14, 2017 07:11pm
A friend of mine who is in faculty of this varsity said that, this issue was going on from last few days but administration was a silent spectator, instead some members of admin were inciting students against Mashal Khan and others. All these people should be thoroughly investigated and given exemplary punishment.
Deeply saddened by this loss.
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Apr 14, 2017 07:21pm
A Young handsome man with a great future ahead of him, was murdered by these extremists, who may even do not know the basics of Islam themselves. It is pity, that most politicians and people of conscious are quite. I feel sorry for the future of Pakistan and specially those who follow rumors and take innocent lives in the name of religion.
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Apr 14, 2017 07:37pm
Disgusting and shameful.
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Apr 14, 2017 07:39pm
@The end is near - Who will give punishment? They are all involved. He reported to university administration as well as to police. If leaders like NS and IK keep on defending their fanatic party members like KPK assembly Speaker and Rana Sanaullah then how can one bring peace
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Apr 14, 2017 07:39pm
It's so sickening that such a horrible and disgusting news comes from my own village. I used to take pride in my people that we never used religion for the worldly matters or generated such sick news ever. But it seems that I was wrong, so wrong that a thousands of people attack one alleged guy and there's no one to save him. No one had the conscious to make them understand or at least try to stop them from doing what they were doing. I am also not able to buy this theory that there were no one with CONSCIOUS as I have lived a life among those people. But in any case this is a horrible news irrespective of, whether he was GUILTY or NOT. I would very much like to know what are the feelings of those who lynched Mashal. I assume they must be feeling conquered or perhaps guilty, at the least. Ah! I wish, I was there to help you at the very least if not saving, even if it had to take my life. Try to learn Islam plz!
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Apr 14, 2017 07:41pm
Disgusting and shameful. Surely this incident could have been avoided. It was premediated. There are those who committed this act and there are those who let this happen. Both should be tackled.
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Apr 14, 2017 07:55pm
Humanity is my religion.
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Apr 14, 2017 08:02pm
My head hangs in shame. How could an unruly mob be judge and jury.How easy is it to kill anyone in the name of blasphemy.
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Apr 14, 2017 08:15pm
why FIR not for all who were present there. Every one present there is equaly responsible for this crime.
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Apr 14, 2017 08:42pm
Barbarism is something these folks inherited and this is why a father is agonizing for the loss of his son. Sheer barbarism!
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Apr 14, 2017 08:46pm
Why PM of Pakistan keeps mum on these situations, he must deny these activities strongly and take strong action. But does neither therefore the situation gets worse.
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Apr 14, 2017 08:50pm
@Riz the vice Chancellor of the university retired in March. Everybody knew he would retire in March 2017 since last 2 years. Yet PTI government failed to select his replacement in time. The university has been under siege for the last three weeks with no one in charge. Every day there were politically motivated demonstrations, strikes and breakage of University properties. I m a supporter of PTI but it seems Imran is only interested in somehow grabbing power at the center. He should have focused on this province which he hasn't . If PTI thinks they can form government at the center in next election, they are living in a fools Paradise. They will most probably loose this province as well. And lastly I feel ashamed to be a teacher at this university as it Shows that I have failed as a teacher to instill tolerance in my students.
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Apr 14, 2017 09:04pm
Way to go....... Heart felt condolences to the bereaved family.
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Apr 14, 2017 09:57pm
@The_Truth - "Kids should be taught secular , social, humanistic , cultural values in colleges. "
They should be taught all this at a much early age.
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Apr 15, 2017 12:46am
Justice will be done. University is investigating Blasphemy created by these students.
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Apr 15, 2017 01:21am
His killers MUST be punished. Also, the university must beforced to pay a large amount of cash to his family and the costs of the trial.
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Apr 15, 2017 01:41am
This article made me cry.
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Apr 15, 2017 04:27am
A beautiful and courageous father. Hats off! May God give courage like yours to all those who want to fight oppression, bigotry, hatred, and persecution. He who decides not to publish this comment has no heart!
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Apr 15, 2017 06:54am
@MKhan... This is interesting Khan sb. I hope that your friend assists the investigation so as to bring the real perpetrators to justice.
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Apr 15, 2017 07:10am
Please accept my condolences Mr. Iqbal . it is one of the biggest tragedy for a parent one can imagine, my heart goes out for the family
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Apr 15, 2017 09:58am
Some one is behind it.
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Apr 16, 2017 04:40am
A brave man died at the hands of cowards.
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