PHC releases 25 convicted in Mashal Khan murder case

ABBOTABAD: Peshawar High Court (PHC) Abbottabad bench Monday ordered to release 25 indicted in Mashal Khan murder case on bail who were sentenced three years jail by Anti-Terrorist Court (ATC) Abbottabad.

The PHC two members bench comprising Justice Lal Jan Khattak and Justice Ateeq Shah while issuing the short order on the bail application of 25 convicted in Mashal murder case suspended the jail sentence by ATC Abbottabad and ordered to release them.

The court already conceded 15 days to the convict for bail grant. Iqbal Khan father of Mashal Khan also challenged the acquittal of 26 accused asking for their convictions and punishments.

The released offenders were Wajid Malang, Zeeshan, Haneef, Nasrullah, Imdad Ahmed, Khayal Syed, Hassan Akhtar, Akhtar, Touqeer, Farhan Laiq, Wajat Ullah, Amir, Sadees, Hamza, Arif, Shahab Ali Shah, Ashraf Ali, Irman, Waleed, Ali Khan, Shoab, Nawab Ali, Syed Abbas Ali, Sahibzada Muhammad Shoaib and Muhammad Riaz.

Mashal Khan, a 23-year-old student of communication and media studies at the Abdul Wali Khan University, was lynched by an angry mob on April 13, 2017 after allegations of blasphemy.

The Peshawar High Court had transferred the case from Mardan to ATC Abbottabad and heard in Central Jail Haripur under strict security measures. The case was transferred from Haripur jail to Abbottabad and again Haripur several time.