Journalism student Mashal Khan was shot and brutally lynched on campus on April 13. PHOTO: FACEBOOK
On Tuesday, 57 accused were indicted over their involvement in the murder of Mashal – a student of the Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan (AWKUM), who was lynched by fellow students over blasphemy charges on April 13. An investigation later determined that blasphemy allegation could not be proved.
At the outset of the hearing inside the Haripur Prison on Wednesday, ATC Judge Fazal Subhan heard the public prosecutors and the defence lawyers before the accused were presented in the court for identification purposes.
JIT says Mashal’s murder was premeditated
Mashal’s father Iqbal Lala was also present during the hearing without a lawyer. Later talking to reporters, he requested the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government to provide him a lawyer, who could provide him legal guidance during the trial.
The 57 defendants are being represented by some 20 lawyers, with Fazalul Haq Abbasi, a former president of the Abbottabad Bar Association, defending 27 of them.
The K-P government has provided a team of three senior prosecutors to assist Haripur Public Prosecutor in the case.
Facing justice: 57 indicted over Mashal murder
During the proceedings, which continued for three hours, seven witnesses recorded their statements and were cross-examined. Later, the judge ordered producing all the witnesses in the court on the next date of hearing and adjourned the proceedings until September 27.
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