Imran says Mashal killed under conspiracy

Vows to award exemplary punishment to killers

SWABI: PTI chief Imran Khan on Tuesday said that it had been confirmed during investigation that Mashal Khan, who was lynched on blasphemy charges, had not committed blasphemy and a conspiracy was hatched against him.

Speaking at a press conference here after offering condolence to the bereaved family, he said, "The facts have been unfolded. It was a conspiracy against Mashal Khan. The entire nation has seen the way he was killed. Even animals cannot act like this."

Imran Khan was flanked by Muhammad Iqbal, father of Mashal Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and MNA Aqibullah. The 23-year-old Mashal Khan was a student of Journalism and Mass Communication Department at the Abdul Wali Khan University in Mardan.  He belonged to Zaida town in Swabi district of KP. He was lynched by a mob on April 13 after being accused of blasphemy.

Imran Khan, Asad Qaiser and MNA Aqibullah Khan had reached Swabi in a helicopter. They met Mashal Khan's father, his mother and sister. Imran Khan went straight to meet the  mother and sister of Mashal Khan who were sitting in a corner at the venue of the press conference.

The PTI chief said the investigation had made it clear that Mashal "never committed blasphemy and a conspiracy was hatched against him." Imran Khan said the accused would be awarded severe punishment so that no one could harm an innocent person. He said the accused belonging to any political party, including the PTI, would be punished in accordance with the law of the land.

The PTI chief said that no one would be spared. "We will make it sure that whoever are involved in Mashal's killing and those who hatched the conspiracy would be held accountable," he pledged. He said he came to the residence of Muhammad Iqbal to assure his family that they would be provided justice. "Being a father, I can feel the pain of Mashal Khan's parents," he said.

He added the political and religious parties had agreed that those who were behind the lynching incident would be exposed to the nation and awarded an exemplary punishment. He lauded the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police for arresting the accused and conducting the investigation.