Sharif condemns Mardan lynching, orders action against culprits

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday ordered action against those found responsible for the lynching of a university student in Mardan over allegations of blasphemy.

"The entire nation should be united in condemning this crime. The state will never tolerate those who take the law in their own hands," the Dawn quoted the Prime Minister, as saying.

He added that he had been left "deeply saddened" over the student's murder by an "insensitive mob".

Sharif's daughter, Maryam Nawaz, also expressed shock over the incident.

"Shocked to see Mashal Khan killing video. Vigilantism &mob justice are indicative of regressive & putrid mindset. Is that what we stand for?," she tweeted.

"Images of brutal killing of two brothers in Sialkot years ago still haunts & now #MashalKhan. Do we want to be known as benighted nation?" she added.

On April 13, Abdul Wali Khan University students Mashal and Abdullah were targeted by a violent mob on campus premises. Mashal was killed, while Abdullah was injured for allegedly "publishing blasphemous content online".