Mashal murder case be referred to military court: Senate body

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Committee on Interior Tuesday with consensus of all of its members of the committee demanded that the murder case of Mashal Khan should be referred to military court immediately. 

The committee also strongly opposed the formation of Judicial Commission on the matter. The meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior & Narcotics Control under the Chairmanship of Senator A. Rehman Malik was held on Tuesday.  Chairman of the Senate Committee Senator A. Rehman Malik who had taken serious notice of incident directed the Ministry of Interior to put names of all those students and University employees on ECL who are under investigation or wanted in the case.

The Senate Committee on Interior also directed for banning the video of torturing of Mashal Khan. The committee also sought report from FIA on the fake Facebook account of Mashal Khan.

Chairman Senate’s Committee Rehman Malik proposed for making ID card mandatory for facebook account. While the Senate’s Committee on interior recommended de-weaponising of all the universities of the country and in this regard decided to write letters to chief ministers of all the four provinces.

Senator Rehman Malik strongly condemned the coldblooded killing and lynching of Mashal Khan, a student of Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan by a mob.   The committee held prayer for the departed soul of Mashal Khan, expressed sympathies with his family and prayed for the strength of his parents. 

Senator A. Rehman Malik said as a nation everyone is deeply shocked and hurt by this tragic and heartbreaking incident.  He said such brutalities not only bring bad name to the country but will also defame religion.

“It was the worst kind of brutality which was exercised unfortunately by educated section of our society inside an educational institution,” Rehman Malik said and added that no evidences are found to suggest that Mashal Khan had committed blasphemy. “Even if someone commits (God forbid) blasphemy, state has to take action rather any individual or a violent mob,” he said.

Rehman Malik with consensus of all members of the committee demanded that the murder case of Mashal Khan should be referred to military courts immediately. The committee strongly opposed formation of Judicial Commission on the matter. 

Senator Javaid Abbasi said the incident happened in day light and everything is very clear so the Judicial Commission aims at to linger on the issue.

RPO Mardan Muhammad Alam Shinwari briefed the committee on the incident and about the actions so far police has taken. He told that some twenty two suspects are arrested so far and among them one is outsider, not student of the university. 

He told the committee that nothing was found online and from the belongings and room of Mashal Khan that can suggest he had committed blasphemy or he had been reading any anti-Islamic book or literature. “Nothing objectionable was found from his room and belongings, he maintained,” and added that police is exerting all the efforts to reach to the depth of the matter.

Senator A. Rehman Malik applauded RPO Mardan Muhammad Alam Shinwari for the speedy investigation and action against those who were suspected however expressed grave concerns over the negligence of the police officer in the University premises at the time of occurrence who could not realise the sensitivity of the matter.  Senator Rehman Malik said that police must investigate all the teachers and University employees who were present in the meeting which was held on alleged blasphemy and also look into the issuance of the notice to Mashal Khan which was later withdrawn by the University.

The meeting was attended by Senator Shahi Syed, Senator Col. (R) Syed Tahir Hussian Mashhadi, Senator Muhammad Javed Abassi, and Senator Muhammad Ali Khan Saif.