'We are bringing a bad name to Islam ourselves': Malala condemns Mashal's murder

Published
57

Pakistani Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai used strong words to criticise the cold-blooded murder of Abdul Wali Khan University student Mashal Khan, who was lynched by a mob over allegations of blasphemy on Thursday.

"This is an incident filled with terror and fear," Yousafzai said in a video message.

Malala lamented that some Pakistanis have forgotten the message of peace given by Islam, saying: "This was not just the funeral of Mashal Khan, it was the funeral of the message of our religion Islam."

She said the Holy Prophet (PBUH) had never advised his followers to "be impatient and go around killing people".

Malala said Pakistani people often complain about the presence of Islamophobia in the West and that other countries are "maligning our name".

"No one is maligning the name of your country or religion... we ourselves are bringing a bad name to our country and religion," she said.

Malala, who was anointed a UN Messenger of Peace last week, said it is the right of every Pakistani to live a safe and peaceful life.

She urged the state institutions and political parties to take a stand in order to bring justice to Mashal's family.

The education activist also said she talked over telephone with Mashal's grieving father, who gave a message of "peace and patience".

23-year-old AWKUM student Mashal was killed and another student, Abdullah, seriously injured on Thursday by a vigilante mob at the campus for allegedly "publishing blasphemous content online", local police said at the time.

No case had been filed against the two students prior to the incident and police had not been investigating the two on blasphemy charges.

Opinion

Editorial

The debt burden
Updated 07 Nov, 2026

The debt burden

The government borrows to cover consumption, budget deficits, and external payments — not to build anything that pays for itself.
Expendable LGs
07 Nov, 2026

Expendable LGs

POLITICAL parties frequently appear reluctant to hold regular local bodies elections on one pretext or another. This...
Scam centres
07 Nov, 2026

Scam centres

THE recent raid by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency on a dubious call centre in Karachi shows how...
Reviewing ties
Updated 06 Nov, 2026

Reviewing ties

With the Democrats clawing back power in Congress, changes in America’s approach to global engagement are likely to occur.
Genuine engagement
06 Nov, 2026

Genuine engagement

THE PTI-led opposition alliance TTAP appears to have finally brought an initially reluctant Maulana Fazlur Rahman on...
Human bondage
Updated 06 Nov, 2026

Human bondage

Law enforcement and political quarters are notorious for protecting the perpetrators, instead of ensuring legal implementation. Systemic coercion will keep Pakistan from becoming a humane state.