The Supreme Court granted appeals of the government against acquittal of accused in Mashal Khan lynching case on Tuesday. Mashal, 23, a student at Abdul Wali Khan University (AWKU) in Mardan, was beaten and shot to death on April 13, 2017 by an unruly mob instigated by rumours that he had committed blasphemy by posting sacrilegious content online.
A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Maqbool Baqar heard the case. Thirteen convicts had filed pleas against the convictions by the trial court and the Peshawar High Court.
The court granted appeals of the government against acquittal of four and enhancing sentence of three accused in Mashal Khan lynching case.
The Peshawar High Court on November 19,2020 had announced the judgment on appeals challenging the verdict of an anti-terrorism court in lynching case of Mashal Khan.
A bench of the high court commuted death penalty of a convict in life sentence, while maintained life sentence to seven convicts and three years jail term to 25 others..INP
