Main accused in Mashal murder case arrested after 11 months

F.P. Report

MARDAN: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) police on Thursday arrested Arif Khan, main accused in the lynching case of Mashal Khan.

Mardan District Police Officer (DPO) Mian Saeed confirmed the arrest of Arif, saying that the police arrested him from near the Chamtar Union Council of the Mardan district.

Special team of KP police conducted raid to arrest Arif who was identified from the footage. Arif had reportedly challenged the law enforcement agencies to arrest him in an emotional speech after the lynching.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan took to Twitter to praise the act of KP police. He said, “I want to commend the KP police for succeeding in arresting the main accused in the Mashal Khan murder case, Arif Rangi, a PTI councillor.”

“This is how a professional and depoliticised police force works, in contrast to the politicised police forces of Punjab and Sindh,” he added.

Mashal, 23, a student at Mardan’s Abdul Wali Khan University was lynched by a mob, allegedly comprising his fellow students riled up by allegations of blasphemy against the young man. An anti-terrorism court had convicted 31 out of 57 suspects in the Mashal Khan lynching case, but acquitted other 26 suspects.