ISLAMABAD: Protests led by civil society organisations were held in several parts of Pakistan to condemn the killing of university student Mashal Khan for allegedly “publishing blasphemous content online.” Demonstrations were conducted in Zaida village, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as Khan was laid to rest. Slogans were raised against the university administration and the police. Demonstrators also demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident.
Khan, 23, a student of journalism from Abdul Wali Khan University, was stripped, shot, and thrown down from the second floor of the hostel and brutally beaten to death by a mob last week. Over 20 people have been arrested in connection with the incident. “I want justice as my son was innocent. I cannot even imagine that he will have committed blasphemy,” said Mashal's father Muhammad Iqbal. His funeral was attended by over 1,000 people, including relatives, friends, and co-villagers. However, none of his college students nor university officials marked their presence. His sister, while talking to the press, said it was a “conspiracy against my brother and it must be unearthed.”
Awami National Party's Mardan President Himayatullah Mayar, meanwhile, has urged his party members to not comment on the killing until the issue was investigated. He met university students and was told that negligence on the university administration's part was what got Mashal killed. The mob stormed the university's Journalism and Mass Communication Department in search of Mashal Khan, Zubair Khan, and Abdullah, became violent, and shot him while critically injuring another. The university had earlier rusticated the three victims, over the complaint of committing blasphemy. Mashal had said that his Facebook account was hacked and was being misused.
Several Pakistani political leaders have condemned the incident, expressing their shock. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said he was “shocked and saddened by the senseless display of mob justice.” Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits. Pro-education activist Malala Yousafzai too condemned the murder, saying that the terrorising incident has brought disgrace to Pakistan. In a video posted on social media, Malala said, “Today I heard about the death of Mashal Khan. It is a very agonising incident... This incident alone has brought disgrace to our nation. I urge people to know your religion, values, and culture. They have always professed peace and tolerance.”
She added, “We complain of Islamophobia and say that other nations are disgracing us. No one is doing that. It is us who are giving a bad name to our country. Islam does not tell us to be impatient and intolerant.”
