The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday admitted appeals filed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government and family members of slain Mashal Khan against the anti-terrorism court’s (ATC) verdict in the brutal lynching case. The high court directed all 26 acquitted persons to appear before ATC Mardan in order to ensure that they will not leave the country and will attend the hearings of the case held at the provincial high court. A two-judge bench, comprising Justice Qalandar Ali Khan and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, issued orders while hearing the appeals by the provincial government and Iqbal Khan, Mashal’s father. “While acquitting the 26 accused, no solid reasons were given,” argued the prosecution, Advocate Muhammad Ayaz. “They all had gathered at the campus with a common objective and a pre-planned conspiracy to kill Mashal Khan.” Ayaz further argued that everyone involved in the lynching played an active role which can be verified from CCTV footage obtained, which was also submitted to the ATC during the hearing of the case. It makes no sense to acquit them when solid evidence exists, he added. The appeals were submitted by Mashal’s family and the KP government against the verdict. The petition further prays for the implementation of life imprisonment to the five convicts, and against the partial acquittal of all the accused. “There were no grounds to show them leniency,” Additional Advocate General Mian Arshad Jan told the court. “They gathered in the form of mob with a common object, hence they deserve harsh and equal punishment according to the law.” Published in Daily Times, April 18th 2018.