PESHAWAR - Speakers at a seminar held here demanded justice for the family of Mashal Khan and urged the provincial government to ensure awarding exemplary punishment to the culprits.
The seminar was organised by Mashaal Revolutionary Front at Peshawar Press Club on Saturday. People from different walks of life attended the event and condemned the lynching of the student at Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan.
Mashaal Revolutionary Front convener Dr Said Alam Mehsud, rights activists Dr Farzana Bari, Sikh community representatives and others spoke on the occasion. They asked leaders of all religious and political parties to openly condemn the killing of Mashal and term the incident as an act of terrorism.
The speakers feared that perpetrators would not get capital punishment owing to poor investigation and flawed judicial systems. They said that military court would properly hear the case without any influence.
The speakers alleged that some of the staff members of the university were involved in lynching of Mashal Khan, adding the deceased used to raise voice against corruption and corrupt elements due to which some of the employees, especially those recruited on basis of political affiliations, became his opponents.
Dr Alam paid homage to Mashal Khan for raising voice for solution of the problems of the students. He said that he was bold enough to criticise the university administration for increasing fees and described it unjustified.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Farzana Bari stressed the need for intensifying the movement launched to condemn lynching of Mashal Khan and help his family to get justice. She also urged for unity to stop happening of such incidents in future. “Culprits in a mob murder always escape capital punishment as they get benefit of doubt,” said Bari, adding that military court was the only option to bring culprits to justice.
Speakers also said that some political parties in Mardan were trying to protect the people arrested by police in the case. They said that names of those people, who held meeting in Mardan for release of the suspects, should be disclosed.
They said that parties should announce boycott of those politicians who were pressurising the government to release the suspects, and urged government to order probe into the matter so that no one could influence the investigation process.
