ISLAMABAD, FEB 07 (DNA) – The anti-terrorism court in Haripur is all set to announce the verdict in the Mashal Khan Murder case.

Khan, 23, a student at the Abdul Wali Khan University, was lynched to death by a mob on allegations of blasphemy on April 13 last year. The brutal incident was videotaped sending shockwaves nationwide, as well as, triggering a debate over the misuse of blasphemy laws in Pakistan.

The ATC in Abbottabad reserved its judgment on January 27 in the Mashal Khan murder case after the hearing of the case was completed.

The case was heard by Justice Fazal-e-Subhan Khan in Haripur Central Jail. He reserved the decision after defence lawyers had completed their respective arguments.

The Peshawar High Court transferred the case from Mardan to ATC Abbottabad, which heard the case in the Haripur jail, on a request of the victim’s father, who had sought the move fearing his “influential adversaries”.

The ATC started hearing the case back in September after indictment of 57 arrested suspects which included students and staff members of the varsity. It also rejected bail application of arrested men in the case.

During the course of the hearing, nearly 50 witnesses were presented before the court and recorded their statements. The prosecution lawyers during the trial presented videos clips as alleged evidence that the arrested suspects were involved in lynching Mashal to death.