Mashal Khan murder: Defence told to explain stance on shifting case

PHC adjourns hearing of case

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Thursday asked the defence to submit written replies explaining why they think the Mashal Khan murder case should not be shifted to an anti-terrorism court in a different part of the province.

Headed by PHC Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, a bench heard the case on Thursday.



Father of slain student Mashal submitted an application in the PHC, requesting it to shift the case to any other district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa or to the anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Haripur since he is facing immense pressure from the families of those implicated in Mashal’s murder.

He further claimed that his family was being pressured to strike a truce with the families of those who had been arrested and are currently awaiting trial in the Mardan jail.

The PHC accepted his application and asked the defence lawyers to submit their replies or any reservations they had on the move till the next hearing of the case and adjourned the hearing.

Mashal Khan’s case had previously been referred to the ATC in Mardan after a joint investigation team probing the incident had completed its report.



Mashal was a student of the Abdul Wali Khan University in Mardan and was lynched by his fellow students and university employees on April 13, 2017, after he was accused of blasphemy.

Mardan police had subsequently arrested 57 people while two were believed to be still at large.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 16^th, 2017.