PESHAWAR: Speakers at a condolence reference have paid tribute to Mashal Khan and urged the government to ensure that severe punishment is awarded to those involved in his murder.

They also called for bringing a change in the education system to prevent such gruesome incidents in future and provide a peaceful environment to students in all the universities.

The reference was arranged under the aegis of Mashal Khan Revolutionary Front, a group of members of civil society organisations, at Peshawar Press Club on Saturday. Rights activist Prof Farzana Bari, Pakhtunkhwa Olasi Tehreek convener Dr Said Alam Mehsud, Dr Lal Khan, Basharat Ali,Sangeen Bacha and Ghufran Ahmad shared their views on this occasion.

The speakers condemned lynching of Mashal, a student of Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, and paid him tribute for his thinking to highlight problems confronted by fellow students. They said that he did nothing wrong except raising voice against injustices, corruption and exploitation.

Prof Bari said that Mashal was a thinker who wanted to bring a positive change in the system. She said that it was duty of all the progressive people to fulfil his mission.

The basic reason for such incidents, she said, used to be personal interests. She said that it seemed that the university administration was also responsible for the tragic incident which failed to take timely action for his protection.

Prof Bari urged the civil society organisations to continue raising voice unless Mashal’s family was given justice in the case.

Mr Mehsud said that those involved in the gruesome incident had brought a bad name to Pakhtuns and the country as well, and they did not deserve any kind of leniency.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2017