ISLAMABAD, APR 15 (DNA) -Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Saturday expressed disappointment over the “cold-blooded murder” of Mashal Khan, a 23-year-old journalism student lynched by an angry mob on Thursday over blasphemy allegations in Mardan, saying it is “unfortunate that people who are behind [his murder] are associating religion” with the act.

Terming it as a “blatant murder”, the interior minister while addressing a press conference in Islamabad said it was “law of the jungle” given the manner the young university student was killed.

“Even if the accusations against someone are true, there is a process [to pursue the case],” he added.

“Islam is a model; it has a framework of justice,” Nisar said, adding that the religion does not “permit” any maltreatment of a “non-Muslim” or “even an atheist”.

“I think the provincial government has taken the right decision to call a judicial enquiry,” the interior minister added, saying that is an appropriate way to go about it.

“It is an area in which the entire country has felt revulsion,” he said, regretting that the incident showed “how certain people still, in this country, misuse the name of Islam.”

He said the news leak report was almost ready and is likely to be presented to the interior ministry within next few days.=DNA

=============