Son’s death not in vain, slain Pakistan student’s parents say

Islamabad: Seminars and rallies marked the second death anniversary of Mashal Khan, the 23-year-old student at Abdul Wali Khan University of Mardan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, who was lynched by a crowd on April 13, 2017 over allegations of posting blasphemous content on social media.

In Swabi and Islamabad, a large number of activists — led by Mashal’s parents, members of civil society organisatons, parliamentarians, human rights activists, writers, intellectuals, students and teachers of various universities — took out rallies and paid tribute to the young student who was killed on campus by a crowd charged with religious frenzy and hatred.

At the rally in Swabi, Mashal’s parents spoke to journalists and said, after losing their son, they didn’t want someone else’s son to fall victim to hatred and violence.

Father Iqbal Khan said he dreamt of a violence-free campus.

Mashal’s mother also spoke briefly on the occasion saying her son’s blood had given courage to the people and now every student and now people are raising voices against bigotry, extremism and fundamentalism.

The late student’s parents called for peace and harmony on campuses across the country, saying education and learning could not be acquired in an environment of hatred and bloodshed.

In the federal capital, a rally was also held remembering Mashal Khan on his second death anniversary.

Participants held banners and placards and observed a token march in front of the National Press Club of Islamabad to mark the two years since Mashal’s death.

The marchers called for elimination of all forms of discrimination on campus, and purging the curriculum of hate content, and ending the spread of hateful ideologies in schools, colleges and universities throughout the country.

They also condemned Friday’s attack in Quetta that targeted the Hazara community.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Farhatullah Babar, Chaudhry Manzoor, Awami National Party’s (ANP) leaders and Awami Workers Party (AWP) were prominent among those who mourned the death of an enlightened young man at the hands of bigots and demanded of the government to take on such elements wherever they are found polluting the minds of the youth.

Progressive Students’ Federation leader Aunil Muntazir addressed the marchers saying it was unfortunate that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) had come to power through support by overwhelming number of youths — who constitute 65 per cent of the country’s population — yet the party was unwilling to take any policy steps to address their problems.

Lecturer and AWP organiser Alia Amirali spoke about the importance of reinstating student unions to counter, “the galloping advance of hate on campuses and in society not only resulted in Mashal’s lynching but it has once again reared its nasty head when Professor Khalid Hameed was murdered by his student in Bahawalpur for simply organising a mixed gender farewell party at a college”.

A student of the Quaid-i-Azam University Mahreen, addressing the march stressed the need to confront gender discrimination in universities.

She said, “The manner in which universities have different hostel timings and dress codes for male and female students is blatantly discriminatory and this institutionalised patriarchy must be put to an end”.

Mashal Khan was murdered by an angry mob mostly students of his own university on the charges of blasphemy.

Later, a joint investigation team (JIT) declared Mashal innocent and submitted in its report that the murder was the result of a well-planned conspiracy.