An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Abbottabad on Saturday reserved its judgment in the Mashal Khan murder case after the hearing of the case was completed with the verdict to be announced on February 7.
Justice Fazal-e-Subhan Khan heard the case in the Haripur Central Jail and reserved the decision after defence lawyers had completed their respective arguments.
Khan, 23, a student at the Abdul Wali Khan University, was lynched to death by a mob on allegations of blasphemy on April 13 last year.
Mashal Khan murder: K-P completes inquiry over police role
The brutal incident was videotaped sending shockwaves nationwide, as well as, triggering a debate over the misuse of blasphemy laws in Pakistan.
The Peshawar High Court transferred the case from Mardan to ATC Abbottabad, which heard the case in the Haripur jail, on a request of the victim's father, who had sought the move fearing his "influential adversaries".
The ATC started hearing the case back in September after indictment of 57 arrested suspects which included students and staff members of the varsity. It also rejected bail application of arrested men in the case.
During the course of the hearing, nearly 50 witnesses were presented before the court and recorded their statements. The prosecution lawyers during the trial presented videos clips as alleged evidence that the arrested suspects were involved in lynching Mashal to death.
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