CHITRAL: Renowned lawyer and member Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council Abdul Wali Khan on Sunday asked the authorities to award exemplary punishment to the accused in the blasphemy case if he was proved guilty after due process of law. “The accused is now in the custody and a case has been registered against him. He should be punished in accordance with the law of the land,” he told reporters. Terming the incident as unfortunate, he said the leaders belonging to all schools of thought condemned the incident. The lawyer appreciated the district khateeb of the Shahi Masjid for handing over the accused to the police. He demanded the government to compensate the khateeb as the mob had set on fire his car. He urged the government to bring the police and Chitral Scouts personnel belonging to Chitral back to the district keeping in view the prevailing situation. The lawyer added that the strategic importance of Chitral had increased in the wake of China-Pakistan Economic (CPEC) and the authorities must deploy more local force to boost the security. Abdul Wali also urged other clerics to play their role in maintaining peace and tranquility. He appreciated the role of police and Chitral Scouts in the recent incident.