Mashal’s father demands arrest of facilitators

ISLAMABAD: I want justice for all the Mashals in Pakistan. It will be good for our country and politicians if the seeds of justice are planted; our image abroad will also improve this way.

This was stated by Iqbal Khan, father of Mashal Khan, the Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, student who was brutally killed by a mob over blasphemy allegations on campus on April 13.   

“My demand from day one has been that my son Mashal who was murdered cannot return, but there should be justice for others like him,” said the slain father's student outside the Supreme Court on Friday. 

Iqbal also demanded that after [police] action against those who incited the violence on that fateful day, those who facilitated the gruesome incident should also be brought to book. “The university administration should also be questioned [over the incident],” he urged.

Iqbal was also thankful to the Chief Justice of Pakistan for taking a suo motu notice of the incident.

The total number of arrested suspects in the case now stands at 49.

Last week, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police approached the Federal Investigation Agency to put the name of the main accused in the case, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf tehsil councillor Arif, on the Exit Control List. Arif is reportedly on the run and police are searching for him.