ATC defers its verdict in Mashal Khan case till March 21

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) delayed on Saturday its decision regarding the Mashal Khan lynching case till March 21.

All four of the suspects were presented before the court today. During the hearing today, the court deferred its verdict regarding the four suspects till March 21, local media reported.

These suspects had been absconding the case proceedings and surrendered themselves to the court last year in June. On March 12, Judge Mahmoodul Hassan Khattak had reserved the verdict after hearing arguments from both sides. At least 46 witnesses had recorded their statements in court.

Mashal, a 23-year-old student of Mass Communication and media studies at the Abdul Wali Khan University was lynched by a mob on April 13, 2017 after blasphemy allegations. The video of his murder, which circulated on social media, was also presented as evidence in front of the court.

Last year in February, an anti-terrorism (ATC) court had announced its verdict after the case proceedings went over the course of five months. Special Judge ATC Fazal-e-Subhan Khan had sentenced one of the accused Imran Ali to death, while sending five suspects to prison for 25 years.