Police in Pakistan&#39;s Mardan District on Thursday confirmed the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Councillor Mohammad Arif for his role in the lynching of Mashal Khan, a student of the Abdul Wali Khan University in April last year.

Geo TV quoted police, as saying that Arif was arrested near Chamtar on the Ring Road. They said that he is one of the three accused of murdering Mashal Khan.

Arif was serving as the tehsil councillor of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Mashal Khan was brutally beaten and shot dead at the Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan over allegations of blasphemy in April 2017. The allegations of blasphemy were later proved to be false by a joint investigation team.

Hailing the police action, PTI Chairman Imran Khan shared a message on Twitter:

He said, &quot;I want to commend the KP police for succeeding in arresting the main accused in the Mashal Khan murder case, Arif Rangi, a PTI councillor. This is how a professional and depoliticised police force works, in contrast to the politicised police forces of Punjab and Sindh.&quot;

The punishment for the rest of the accused who were arrested was announced by an anti-terrorism court in Haripur on February 7 this year.

According to the verdict, one person was awarded death sentence, five life imprisonment, 25 were jailed for four years each, while 26 were acquitted over lack of evidence.

The 26 suspects released by the court received a &#39;hero&#39;s welcome&#39; in their native towns of Swabi and Mardan after their release.

Later, Mashal&#39;s family challenged their acquittal as did the provincial government.

In an appeal filed with the Peshawar High Court, Mashal&#39;s brother Aimal Khan expressed reservations over the verdict, stating those who have been acquitted can be seen in the video of the incident when Mashal was tortured to death.

On February 27, a PHC division bench ordered the release on bail of the 25 accused who had been awarded three to four-year sentences in the case.

The 25 accused had pleaded that there was a provision in the law under which those sentenced to less than five years in jail could be released on bail while their appeal was being heard.

Mashal Khan was brutally beaten and shot dead at the Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan over allegations of blasphemy in April 2017

Police in Pakistan's Mardan District on Thursday confirmed the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Councillor Mohammad Arif for his role in the lynching of Mashal Khan, a student of the Abdul Wali Khan University in April last year. Geo TV quoted police, as saying that Arif was arrested near Chamtar on the Ring Road. They said that he is one of the three accused of murdering Mashal Khan. Arif was serving as the tehsil councillor of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Mashal Khan was brutally beaten and shot dead at the Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan over allegations of blasphemy in April 2017. The allegations of blasphemy were later proved to be false by a joint investigation team. Hailing the police action, PTI Chairman Imran Khan shared a message on Twitter: He said, "I want to commend the KP police for succeeding in arresting the main accused in the Mashal Khan murder case, Arif Rangi, a PTI councillor. This is how a professional and depoliticised police force works, in contrast to the politicised police forces of Punjab and Sindh." The punishment for the rest of the accused who were arrested was announced by an anti-terrorism court in Haripur on February 7 this year. According to the verdict, one person was awarded death sentence, five life imprisonment, 25 were jailed for four years each, while 26 were acquitted over lack of evidence. The 26 suspects released by the court received a 'hero's welcome' in their native towns of Swabi and Mardan after their release. Later, Mashal's family challenged their acquittal as did the provincial government. In an appeal filed with the Peshawar High Court, Mashal's brother Aimal Khan expressed reservations over the verdict, stating those who have been acquitted can be seen in the video of the incident when Mashal was tortured to death. On February 27, a PHC division bench ordered the release on bail of the 25 accused who had been awarded three to four-year sentences in the case. The 25 accused had pleaded that there was a provision in the law under which those sentenced to less than five years in jail could be released on bail while their appeal was being heard.

Pakistan: PTI councillor arrested for lynching of man accused of blasphemy

An outspoken Pakistani student killed by a lynch mob was falsely accused of blasphemy, according to an official report that added his murder was organised by faculty members and rival students.

Mashal Khan, 23, was stripped, beaten and shot before being thrown from the second floor of his hostel at the Abdul Wali Khan University in northwest Mardan in April.&nbsp;

The killing led to a national outcry after a video of it went viral.

The country&#39;s top court ordered the formation of a joint investigation team comprising police and intelligence agencies, which is set to submit its findings this week.&nbsp;

&quot;No direct or indirect evidence supporting blasphemy allegations against Mashal Khan (or his friends) Abdullah and Zubair was received,&quot; the 308-page report, a copy of which was seen by AFP, said.

It added the killing was instigated by members of Khan&#39;s own secular Pakhtun Students Federation, who felt threatened by his growing prominence as a critic of rising fees and alleged corruption at the university, as well as the institution&#39;s staff.

Mashal&#39;s father, Muhammad Iqbal, told reporters on Monday that the findings had vindicated his son.

&quot;This proves my son was not a blasphemer,&quot; he said, calling for the suspects to be tried by a military court.

Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive charge in conservative Muslim Pakistan, and can carry the death penalty. Even unproven allegations can cause mob lynchings and violence.

Last month a 10-year old boy was killed and five others were wounded when a mob attacked a police station in an attempt to lynch a Hindu man charged with blasphemy for allegedly posting an incendiary image on social media.

Weeks earlier a mob attacked a mentally ill man claiming to be a prophet at his local mosque. He was later saved by police.

At least 65 people have been murdered by vigilantes over blasphemy allegations since 1990.

(AFP)

&nbsp;

23-year-old Mashal Khan was stripped, beaten and shot before being thrown from the second floor of his hostel

An outspoken Pakistani student killed by a lynch mob was falsely accused of blasphemy, according to an official report that added his murder was organised by faculty members and rival students. Mashal Khan, 23, was stripped, beaten and shot before being thrown from the second floor of his hostel at the Abdul Wali Khan University in northwest Mardan in April. The killing led to a national outcry after a video of it went viral. The country's top court ordered the formation of a joint investigation team comprising police and intelligence agencies, which is set to submit its findings this week. "No direct or indirect evidence supporting blasphemy allegations against Mashal Khan (or his friends) Abdullah and Zubair was received," the 308-page report, a copy of which was seen by AFP, said. It added the killing was instigated by members of Khan's own secular Pakhtun Students Federation, who felt threatened by his growing prominence as a critic of rising fees and alleged corruption at the university, as well as the institution's staff. Mashal's father, Muhammad Iqbal, told reporters on Monday that the findings had vindicated his son. "This proves my son was not a blasphemer," he said, calling for the suspects to be tried by a military court. Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive charge in conservative Muslim Pakistan, and can carry the death penalty. Even unproven allegations can cause mob lynchings and violence. Last month a 10-year old boy was killed and five others were wounded when a mob attacked a police station in an attempt to lynch a Hindu man charged with blasphemy for allegedly posting an incendiary image on social media. Weeks earlier a mob attacked a mentally ill man claiming to be a prophet at his local mosque. He was later saved by police. At least 65 people have been murdered by vigilantes over blasphemy allegations since 1990. (AFP)

Lynched Pakistani student did not commit blasphemy: Police

Two days after a Pakistani journalism student was lynched to death on a university campus for posting supposedly&nbsp;blasphemous content on social media, court officials said Saturday that eight fellow students were charged with murder and terrorism.

Police have arrested 45 people in connection with Mashal Khan&#39;s murder and are on the lookout for more students involved in the crime, Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported.

&quot;Eight students were presented before an anti-terrorism court in Mardan over murder and challenging the writ of the state,&quot; public prosecutor Rafiullah Khan told AFP.

Mashal Khan -- who was studying at&nbsp;Abdul Wali Khan University -- was kicked, stripped and shot to death by a large mob&nbsp;in the conservative northwestern town of Mardan on Thursday.

Footage that was recovered showed several university students -- some of them allegedly student body leaders -- kicking and beating Khan&#39;s lifeless body with wooden planks, Pakistani media reported.

Mardan&#39;s Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Mohammad Alam Shinwari said the 23-year-old victim died of a fatal gunshot.

The police official told Dawn that Khan was brutally murdered for &quot;promoting the Ahmadi faith on Facebook&quot;.

Ahmadi Muslims have faced persecution since the movement began in the late 19th century. Sunni Muslims regard them as heretics.

The footage found at the crime scene also showed how people were forcing him to recite verses of Holy Quran. The video also showed Khan insisting that he was not an Ahmadi and did not promote it on Facebook.

Students had previously complained to university authorities about Khan&#39;s alleged secular and liberal views and Khan had been in a heated debate during a class the day he was killed.

Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive charge in conservative Muslim Pakistan, and can carry the death penalty. Even unproven allegations can cause mob lynchings and violence.

At least 65 people have been murdered by vigilantes over blasphemy allegations since 1990.

The independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has urged that all those involved in the lynching be brought to justice.&nbsp;

At his funeral on Friday, Khan&#39;s father said he hoped his son&#39;s murder would &quot;evoke realisation among people that killing an innocent is a sin&quot;.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

Two days back, a journalism student was assaulted, stripped and shot by his peers for allegedly posting blasphemous content on Facebook

Two days after a Pakistani journalism student was lynched to death on a university campus for posting supposedly blasphemous content on social media, court officials said Saturday that eight fellow students were charged with murder and terrorism. Police have arrested 45 people in connection with Mashal Khan's murder and are on the lookout for more students involved in the crime, Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported. "Eight students were presented before an anti-terrorism court in Mardan over murder and challenging the writ of the state," public prosecutor Rafiullah Khan told AFP. Mashal Khan -- who was studying at Abdul Wali Khan University -- was kicked, stripped and shot to death by a large mob in the conservative northwestern town of Mardan on Thursday. Footage that was recovered showed several university students -- some of them allegedly student body leaders -- kicking and beating Khan's lifeless body with wooden planks, Pakistani media reported. Mardan's Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Mohammad Alam Shinwari said the 23-year-old victim died of a fatal gunshot. The police official told Dawn that Khan was brutally murdered for "promoting the Ahmadi faith on Facebook". Ahmadi Muslims have faced persecution since the movement began in the late 19th century. Sunni Muslims regard them as heretics. The footage found at the crime scene also showed how people were forcing him to recite verses of Holy Quran. The video also showed Khan insisting that he was not an Ahmadi and did not promote it on Facebook. Students had previously complained to university authorities about Khan's alleged secular and liberal views and Khan had been in a heated debate during a class the day he was killed. Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive charge in conservative Muslim Pakistan, and can carry the death penalty. Even unproven allegations can cause mob lynchings and violence. At least 65 people have been murdered by vigilantes over blasphemy allegations since 1990. The independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has urged that all those involved in the lynching be brought to justice. At his funeral on Friday, Khan's father said he hoped his son's murder would "evoke realisation among people that killing an innocent is a sin". (WION with inputs from AFP)

Eight charged with murder in Pakistan university student's lynching case

mashal-khan

Mashal Khan, News on Mashal Khan, stories on Mashal Khan, articles on Mashal Khan, Mashal Khan stories at Wion, Mashal Khan news, Mashal Khan latest news

mashal khan

Pakistan: PTI councillor arrested for lynching of man accused of blasphemy

Lynched Pakistani student did not commit blasphemy: Police

Eight charged with murder in Pakistan university student's lynching case