Suspect confesses he acted upon university admin?s directions against Mashal

Suspect confesses he acted upon university admin?s directions against Mashal PESHAWAR: A prime suspect identified as Wajahat has admitted to his role in the lynching of Mashal Khan, the student who was brutally murdered by charged mob in Abdul Wali Khan University last week. According to police sources, Wajahat in his statement said he was told by the administration of the university to level blasphemy allegations and act against Mashal Khan. Wajahat said he was called to the chancellor’s office on April 13 where 15-20 people were present. He added that despite officials from the university administration, lecturers Ziaullah and Asfandyar were also present in the office. Sources quoting Wajahat said that he had given a speech in university premises against Mashal Khan and other students upon the directions of university administration. Wajahat said he told other students that he himself had heard Mashal and others committing blasphemy, adding that if he had known the conspiracy being hatched against the affected students, he would have never attended the university on the day of the incident. Wajahat said he spread the word of Mashal, Abdullah and Zubair committing blasphemy on the directives of university administration. The security in charge Bilal Baksh said that anyone taking side of Mashal and his comrade would be dealt with iron hands and he [Bilal] himself would kill Mashal. Wajahat said that his speech had provoked the mob, which lynched Mashal. Earlier, Abdullah the student who was injured by the mob also recorded his statement before the magistrate. In his statement, Abdullah claimed that prior to the murder of Mashal Khan, the administration of the university was ‘deadly’ against him because he was critical of loopholes in the system. “He [Mashal] had also given an interview to AVT Khyber disclosing and unleashing the aggression and hostility of university administration.” “Mashal Khan criticised the administration for misusing the authority and not providing the best services to students especially the under-privileged.” Abdullah said that on April 13 at 11 AM, he received a phone call from a friend, who he said was conspirator, asking him to come to the journalism department. In the statement, Abdullah claimed the actual perpetrator, who was the class representative, along with other students blamed him, Mashal and Zubair of committing blasphemy. “I bluntly refused the despicable allegations and then recited Kalma in front of them and also translated the same in both languages, Urdu and Pushto. After hearing the Kalma from my mouth, they forced me to give a deposition that Mashal Khan had committed blasphemy but I refused as I have never heard any scandalous or blasphemous words by Mashal.” Abdullah stated that during the course of the events he was shut in the bathroom of the Chairman Office by teachers in fear that he might be assaulted. Abdullah added that he was also put in the clerk office earlier. According to him, teachers had gathered in the Chairman Office and were trying to resolve the dispute but a mob had gathered. “By then, Mashal was reportedly in the hostel and I was personally unaware of his status.” Abdullah said he was saved by the police when the angry mob was assaulting him in the Chairman Office bathroom. “Some of the students who knew from close quarters and were satisfied that I was innocent also rescued me.” Abdullah added that he was in the custody of the police and hospitalised when he heard the news that Mashal Khan had been brutally murdered by the angry mob as well as officials of the administration. According to reports, in a statement recorded with police, Abdullah had placed responsibility of the incident on the university administration.