Mashal Khan was remembered by the public and celebrities yesterday as his third death anniversary was observed on Monday. Mashal lost his life in a cold-blooded event of torture by an angry mob on inside the premises of the Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan three years back. He was falsely charged with committing blasphemy.
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Young Author Fatima Bhutto posted a picture of Mashal with Dholl (traditional trumpet) around his neck and wrote he was brave and defiant of corruption and therefore will be remembered.
Ziaullah Khan announced in his tweet that he had completed his book on his student Mashal and that he hoped innocent Mashal would get justice soon.
Opposition member and PPP’s Chairman Bilawal Bhutto said he hoped that the lockdown once lifted will leave us a more responsible towards humanity and human life while paying tribute to the untimely end of Mashal’s life due to ‘senseless’ violence.
Another social sciences researcher and human rights advocate, Hurmat Shah shared a letter he wrote on behalf of Mashal after his death.
Emotions poured high on twitter mourning the death and remembering the short but highly accomplished life of young Mashal.
Mashal’s murder case was heard by the 13-member Joint Investigation Committee formed under the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan which gave its final verdict on the case in June 2017. Mashal and his two friends were cleared of all blasphemy charges leveled against him and his friends and the court called his lynching a premeditated murder.
In February 2018, Anti Terrorism Court awarded death sentence to one of the prime suspects booked in Mashal’s murder, Imran Ali who confessed to having shot Mashal. Five convicts were awarded life sentence while 25 others a four-year term in jail. Four suspects who had absconded surrendered later in June 2018. Of these, two were awarded life sentence while two were acquitted from the trial due to lack of evidence against them. Mashal’s father expressed his satisfaction over the ATC verdict. However, he said he would appeal against the acquittal of Sabir Mayar and Izharullah.
