ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday issued a statement to condemn the lynching of a student at the Wali Khan University in Mardan.
The prime minister said that he was “shocked and saddened by the senseless display of mob justice” over the murder of young student Mashal Khan.
He warned the perpetrators that the state shall not tolerate citizens taking the law in their own hands. He said that police have been directed to apprehend those responsible for the act.
“No father should have to send his child off to be educated, with the fear of having him return in a coffin,” he said.
PM Sharif called on the nation to stand united and condemn this crime and promote tolerance and rule of law in the society.
Mashal Khan was beaten to death by a violent mob on university premises on April 13.
Maryam Nawaz condemns incident
The prime minister’s daughter, Maryam Nawaz, has also condemned the incident and said that she was shocked to see the video of the killing of Mashaal Khan.
“Vigilantism and mob justice are indicative of regressive and putrid mindset,” she said in tweet and questioned whether this is what we stand for as a society.
Shocked to see Mashal Khan killing video. Vigilantism &mob justice are indicative of regressive & putrid mindset. Is that what we stand for?
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) April 15, 2017
She further said that the images of brutal killing of two brothers in Sialkot years ago still haunt us, and now the incident of Mashal Khan has occurred. She feared that Pakistan may be known as benighted nation due to such incidents.
Images of brutal killing of two brothers in Sialkot years ago still haunts & now #MashalKhan. Do we want to be known as benighted nation?
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) April 15, 2017
