It is hard to believe a year has passed since the death of 23 year old student Mashal Khan, beaten, pummeled and shot to death at the Abdul Wali Khan University at Mardan where he was studying journalism. It is a sad reflection on our society that justice is yet to have been done. Only this week, another of the accused in the case got pre-arrest bail from the Peshawar High Court. It is astonishing that an absconder in a mob lynching case can be awarded pre-arrest bail in such a high-profile case. The situation has been painful to watch as the promises to make this case an example for those who spur mobs to kill innocent individuals in the name of religion have all come to nothing. Instead of the much needed example that should have been set, those who use religion to target individuals have come out bolder. Possibly the only encouraging sign has been the emboldened progressive forces in the country speaking out at protests, rallies and vigils in dozens of cities around the country to remember Mashal and demand justice be done. In the darkness we seem to have been doomed to, there may still be hope for a progressive Pakistan.
And this hope has largely been manifested in the form of one man – Mashal Khan’s father, Mohammad Iqbal, who has not lost hope and has continued to demand justice through the judicial system. Iqbal has not cowered in the face of a justice system that has failed to deliver and a society that has continued to threaten his security. Courts bail out those responsible for his murder. His killers continue to be glorified as heroes on their return home. But Mohammad Iqbal has continued to go to the courts to ask for justice as well as reaching out to the public for support. Only five of the accused were sentenced to life in prison while another 25 received three-year prison sentenced. Another 26 accused were set free. The fact that so many received such light sentences suggests that the justice system remains hesitant to convict those who commit gross crimes in the name of religion. The Mashal Khan case is a reminder of the failure of this country’s education system, and highlights the glaring need for a viable counter-extremism narrative in our society. Any hope that has remained is due to the sheer will of sections of the public, led by Mashal’s family. Perhaps it is this sheer force of will that is needed to bring about a more tolerant and peaceful Pakistan.