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Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Saturday gave his go ahead to a judicial inquiry into the lynching of a student of the Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, on Thursday.
KP government spokesman Mushtaq Ghani, while talking to DawnNews, said: “The chief minister has signed a summary from the Home and Tribal Affairs departments seeking a judicial probe into the incident,”
Ghani added that the summary will now be sent to the chief justice of Peshawar High Court for the the formation of a judicial committee.
“As soon as the chief justice forms the committee, it will start a probe,” he told DawnNews.
On Friday, during a session chaired by Deputy Speaker Dr Mahar Taj Roghani, the chief minister had responded to criticism by lawmakers who condemned Mashal Khan’s brutal death at the hands of a mob of students.
Khattak told the KP assembly that no evidence had been found to suggest Mashal had committed blasphemy.
"The mobile phone record of the victim has been checked by the police but there was nothing against Islam," he said.
“Since the occurrence of the incident, I am in contact with the inspector general of police and so far no evidence has emerged to show that blasphemy was committed by the victim,” he had said, adding that such brutality would not be tolerated.
“The government has already decided to conduct a judicial inquiry into this heinous crime,” he said, adding that such an incident should not have occurred and the government was worried about it.
Suspects remanded into police custody
A local Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Mardan on Saturday remanded the suspects caught so far in the lynching case to police custody
Police had produced eight individuals before the court and requested their physical remand for an investigation.
The ATC judge handed custody of the eight to police for a four-day physical remand.
The suspects were produced before the court amid high security.
Separately, the postmortem report received by police confirmed that Mashal had died because of a gunshot wound, while his body had been severely bruised.
'Killers a disgrace to students': UN condemns Mashal's murder
The United Nations on Saturday reacted strongly to the brutal murder of Mashal Khan and called on the Pakistani government to take ‘firm action’ and bring the perpetrators to justice.
In a statement, the UN termed the killers a disgrace to millions of students in Pakistan working for a better future in the principles of tolerance and social justice.
“Our thoughts remain with the victims and their families. We urge the authorities to take firm action and bring the perpetrators to speedy justice,” said Neil Buhne, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Pakistan.
He said Pakistan has strong legal institutions and it is unacceptable for anyone to take the law into their own hands.
Read more
With Mashal Khan's murder, Pakistan's descent into a dystopian nightmare continues
'This is extreme cruelty': Mashal's father laments blasphemy charges against son
The untold story of Pakistan’s blasphemy law
Blasphemy and the death penalty: Misconceptions explained
Our hero of the day: A boy presenting his chopped hand on a plate
How your social media activity can land you in jail for blasphemy
On DawnNews
Comments (46) Closed
Apr 15, 2017 12:06pm
My heart bleeds after such incident. Please arrest and charge all those involved and punish them to the severest to bring some justice and calm our uneasiness. Those cowards who attacked a lifeless body are a shame on the country and faith. Such murderers should be made a strong example of.
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Apr 15, 2017 12:18pm
Every Pakistani who speaks for justice is Mashal khan. This was clearly a political plot. Damn how bad our institutions are ... it would have never happened if their was rule of law
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Apr 15, 2017 12:27pm
There is something fundamentally wrong in the society, education and politics..
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Apr 15, 2017 12:28pm
The honest report by honest and God fearing Chief Minister of KP. The culprits and their masters must be severely punished.
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Apr 15, 2017 12:41pm
I propose imprisonment to murders and income for work they do in jail should be given to family of victim. This will make them feel guilty when they kill some innocent.
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Apr 15, 2017 12:46pm
I GO and VC must be suspended without any delay. Province must be cleansed from terrorists and literature must be changed
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Apr 15, 2017 12:46pm
Imran Khan and Khattak of KPK are to blame for this heinous crime, these guys have been breading
hate in every speech, someone in this country should take the responsibility to preach love and tranquility.
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Apr 15, 2017 01:22pm
This is one of reasons i left pakistan many years ago. People whether they are highly educated or not are just not ready to comprehend the idea of any non mainstream opinions. Pakistan as a whole is a giant mob ready to pounce on any one who dares to deviate from the mainstream. I have been in so many european countries and the tolerance and will to accept others is something which is in bred in these socities. Pakistan may evolve to such level but it may take another few hindred years of dark age and ignorance.
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Apr 15, 2017 01:24pm
'when society is itself the tyrant—society collectively, over the separate individuals who compose it—its means of tyrannizing are not restricted to the acts which it may do by the hands of its political functionaries. Society can and does execute its own mandates: and if it issues wrong mandates instead of right, or any mandates at all in things with which it ought not to meddle, it practises a social tyranny more formidable than many kinds of political oppression, since, though not usually upheld by such extreme penalties, it leaves fewer means of escape, penetrating much more deeply into the details of life, and enslaving the soul itself. Protection, therefore, against the tyranny of the magistrate is not enough: there needs protection also against the tyranny of the prevailing opinion and feeling; against the tendency of society to impose, by other means than civil penalties, its own ideas and practices as rules of conduct on those who dissent from them'...MODERN CIVILISED PROGRESSIVE PAKISTAN
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Apr 15, 2017 01:37pm
Good statement by the KPK Chief Minister based upon the judicial inquiry calling for forming Judicial Committee for further action. Now, it would depend upon the courage and honesty of the committee to call spade, a spade and suggest right action to correct the horrible situation fast developing into a free for all self rule, judgement and execution. All other provinces are waiting for the amicable guidance.
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Apr 15, 2017 01:50pm
Please give the savage murderers of the innocent man the most severe punishment. Let the punishmet fit the heinous crime. Thanks KPK.
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Apr 15, 2017 01:54pm
Remember the mob lynching that took place of two brothers in Sialkot a few years ago? Guess what, all the culprits are out of jail and free!
So relax everyone, all the culprits in this case will also be free in about 3 to 5 years.
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Apr 15, 2017 01:59pm
If any religious party or fundamentalists come to defend the perpetrators, Book them in the case as well. Now is the time to put a leash around their necks.
R.I.P. Mashaal.
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Apr 15, 2017 02:09pm
@Sohail khan thank you a beautiful, a very logical and phelodophol analysis. I wonder the minds and brains of our elites in power are blessed with such intellectual ability and capacity to digest such brain threashing literary language.
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Apr 15, 2017 02:29pm
Pakistan was based on intolerant ideology. They hated Hindus and divided their land of 3,000 years. They emptied off all Hindus from Pakistan. What else can you expect of such ideology. Mishal Khan happens.
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Apr 15, 2017 03:15pm
Whether or not he committed blasphemy is irrelevant as far as convicting members of that mob is concerned. However, if he didn't commit blasphemy, university administration should be held accountable for issuing that notice
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Apr 15, 2017 03:40pm
Why is there no public condemnation of such an atrocity from the Prime Minister.
How should people around the world read into his silence ???
Shaan,
San Diego, CA
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Apr 15, 2017 03:40pm
@raw is war , one must not forget the fact that there is an overwhelming caste system as well as religious extremism in India. Killing Muslims in cold blood in the name of sacred animal is becoming a common place in modern India. I am surprised if you don't call it hatred. I am equally pleased at the creation of Pakistan.
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Apr 15, 2017 03:41pm
The world is watching to see if this case will be ignored like so many others in Pakistan.
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Apr 15, 2017 04:31pm
One cannot even dare imagine what must have been going through heart and mind of the man being murdered in such a heinous brutality. Unfortunately this is another dark spot on the fabric of our 'civil' society. Similar brutal murders have taken place before in almost all parts of the country. What was the result? What does it say about our collective conscience, our systems of justice and governance? How come we have descended to such an abyss? Where is our humanity?
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Apr 15, 2017 04:47pm
@Asad You are right.
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Apr 15, 2017 04:52pm
The youth of Pakistan has been taking extreme act on their own to decide who is guilty this is definitely not be allowed.
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Apr 15, 2017 05:47pm
Rest in peace brother mashal I didn't know you but will think of you and keep you in my prayers my brother from another mother
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Apr 15, 2017 06:24pm
Police should also be punished for doing nothing to prevent this murder.
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Apr 15, 2017 06:52pm
What if even the evidences were found? Would that have justified the killing? This could be the make or break case. I hope we as a country come out of medieval ages we are currently living in.
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Apr 15, 2017 07:02pm
@Peace As they say such things don't happen in a civilized society. That says a lot about a society where they can happen in the higher education institutions, and in response, the institution registers a case against the victim,and the State orders forensics investigation of the victim's phone and announces that there was nothing against Islam
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Apr 15, 2017 07:13pm
@SAEED MASOOD yup. PMLN will bring love and harmony by looting the country and focusing on Punjab only for the benefits. Because other provinces are not Pakistan.
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Apr 15, 2017 07:23pm
The university administration and the KP govt are investigating whether the guy actually committed blasphemy. This is as bleak as it can get.
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Apr 15, 2017 08:04pm
Some one sent me the video of this henious crime against humanity ..It is disgusting to the core totally barbaric..Those sociopath and psychopath should be given an exemplary punishment..People who cannot differentiate between right and wrong are nothing but animals.
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Apr 15, 2017 08:16pm
Why does it matter whether Mushal Khan committed blasphemy or not? How can a mob be allowed to lynch a person regardless of what he may or may not have done? What kind of a brutal society is this?
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Apr 15, 2017 08:55pm
Whether Mashaal had committed blasphemy or not but no one had the right to kill him in cold blood . It was the job of courts to punish someone !
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Apr 15, 2017 08:56pm
I am ashamed to the see that we as a Pakistani have gone so low and so barbaric !
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Apr 15, 2017 09:25pm
"No evidence found to suggest Mashal Khan committed blasphemy"
Whether or not he committed blasphemy is not, and should not, be the issue at heart. Regardless of blasphemy, the guy did not deserve to be murdered - PERIOD. It seems like the CM is totally forgetting that point. In case he did commit blasphemy, will the statement be different?
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Apr 15, 2017 09:45pm
student should focus themselves on studies rather then doing actions which an illiterate con not do without thinking.
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Apr 15, 2017 10:38pm
Ok. If Masal had committed blasphemy then would you have endorsed mob lunching? Mob must be punished. Period.
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Apr 15, 2017 10:45pm
@brian meegan The world simply watches; it does nothing.
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Apr 15, 2017 11:09pm
It's pre-engineered murder. Whoever was involved, used Islam to killed an innocent person. Extreme punishment has to be given and the case should be held in military courts for fast and speedy trial and justice. Punish those criminals within 30 days.
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Apr 16, 2017 12:56am
Evidence or not, no one should be executed by an unruly mob, without trial in court of law. Where is the govt writ. Remove students who are taliban minded.
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Apr 16, 2017 05:04am
@raw is war read history son, why muslim league was born in India? You will find reason within India. Dont just spill poison for Pakistan coz thats a hit India. Hate is within urself. Read some independant material with clear mindset and you will know reality
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Apr 16, 2017 06:49am
It does not matter if he committed blasphemy or not; what matters most is the mob mentality of the people and taking the law in their own hands.
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Apr 16, 2017 07:23am
No evidence of blasphemy but enough evidence of brutality.
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Apr 16, 2017 08:00am
Whether or not evidence was found, this does not excuse behaviour of vigilantes. As an overseas muslima I am ashamed that these thuggish actions are done in the name of Islam...so much for showing the world that we are a peaceful and tolerant religion...no excuse....
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Apr 16, 2017 09:58am
I have full confidence in KP government to live up to the justice
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Apr 16, 2017 10:35am
Nothing will change . All this present sound and fury signifies nothing
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Apr 16, 2017 06:00pm
Please give justice to old father of Mishal khan. Hang all people's who involved in this crime. Make example for everyone. You have no pressure because Mishal khan wasn't belong to minorities. Please stop this for future kids.
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Apr 17, 2017 06:29am
Okay, if he wasn't then round up all 4,000 murderers and put them in jail for murder. Go set and example so it never happens again
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