HARIPUR: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Wednesday handed down death sentence to a man and life sentence to five others in the murder case of Mashal Khan who was lynched by a mob at Abdul Wali Khan University last year over allegations of blasphemy.
The verdict in the case was announced at the Haripur Jail by ATC judge Fazl-e-Subhan.
The judge awarded 25 persons four-years imprisonment each.
Citing sources from Haripur Jail, Geo News reported 26 others suspects were exonerated by the judge.
61 people were nominated in the brutal lynching of the student out of which 58 were arrested including Imran, a suspect who admitted to firing shots at the slain.
Three suspects including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Tehseel Councilor Arif, Sabir Mayar, a leader of a student organization and Assad Zia, an employee of the university still remain at large.
The verdict was reserved on January 27 by ATC judge Fazal Subhan.
The court held 25 hearings from September 2017 to January 2018 during which 68 witnesses recorded their statements.
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