Abbotabad – Anti-Terrorism Court in Abbottabad began the hearing of Mashal Khan’s murder case. Justice Fazal Subhan is hearing the case, amid strict security measures in the locality of Central Jail, Haripur.
57 arrested suspects are indicated in the case and are currently being held at Central Jail, Haripur. Iqbal Khan, Mashal’s father, and a large number of people from Mardan were present at the trial. Both the prosecution and defendant presented their arguments. The hearing will be conducted on daily basis.
Earlier, when the hearing of Mashal’s case was started in Mardan, the petitioner Iqbal Khan and provincial government requested the court to move the case from Mardan, for fear of law and order situation that might prevail in Mardan.
At that time, Iqbal Khan also told media that he is being pressurized by the families of suspects and fears a biased trial.
On the basis of these reservations, on July 27th, two members of Peshawar High Court moved the case to the ATC in Abbotabad and shifted the defendants to Central jail Haripur.
Mashal Khan, a journalism student at Abdul Wali Khan University in Mardan, was lynched on 13th April by a violent mob. The victim was accused of committing blasphemy. However, the investigation report submitted by JIT consisting of 13 members found no such offense.
