Pakistani student beaten to death over blasphemous content on social media

A mob of students reportedly attacked a fellow student at a university campus in Pakistan on Thursday (13 April) and beat him to death for publishing blasphemous content online.

The incident took place at Abdul Wali Khan University in the city of Mardan, where a group of students shouting "Allahu Akbar" attacked 23-year-old Mashal Khan. They reportedly stripped him naked and beat him with sticks until he died.

Khan was a resident of Swabi village and was studying Journalism and Mass Communication at the University.

"The student was accused of running Facebook pages, which allegedly published blasphemous content.

"He was assaulted by a group of students and appears to have succumbed to a gunshot wound," Deputy Inspector General of Police Mardan Alam Shinwari was quoted as saying by Pakistan Observer.

Some students said the victim was first shot in the head and chest by the mob and his body was then thrashed and defiled.

The vigilante mob also beat up another student Abdullah, who survived with injuries, the BBC reported.

Ten students were arrested following the incident and the campus was closed until further notice. Students were asked to leave the university's hostels and the police are conducting raids to detain other suspects in the case.

Blasphemy is a highly sensitive topic in Pakistan, and insulting Prophet Mohammed is punishable by death. The government has also been vocal about the issue and said any act maligning the prophet could lead to punishment.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had issued an order in March to delete blasphemous content online, saying anyone who posted such content would face "strict punishment under the law".

This is not the first time someone has been killed over allegations of blasphemy in the country. In 2011, the governor of Pakistan's Punjab province, Salman Taseer, was shot dead by a bodyguard after he called for reformation in blasphemy laws, Reuters said.

A recent report by a think-tank says at least 65 people have been killed in the Muslim-majority nation after being accused of blasphemy since 1990.