Pakistan PM dials Sri Lankan President over Sialkot lynching; assures justice for victim

Amid mounting domestic and international pressure over the Sialkot lynching incident, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan dialled Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and assured him of delivering justice to the textile industry executive brutally lynched in Pakistan's Punjab region, PTI reported on Sunday. According to the media reports, Khan apprised President Gotabaya Rajapaksa regarding the arrest of 113 people accused of the brutal murder of Sri Lankan national Priyantha Kumara Diyawadan. Besides, Khan also assured Rajapaksa that no mercy will be granted to the mob that killed Diyawadan on suspicion of blasphemy.

"All the videos and information related to the incident have been obtained by the Pakistani security forces," news agency PTI quoted a statement from the President's office. 

More than eight hundred angry supporters of TLP gathered to kill Diyawadan

Also, the statement said that the Pakistan PM informed Rajapaksa that the Sri Lankan national, who had served in Sialkot for a long time, had bestowed a high level of "professionalism" as a manager. It is worth mentioning the dialogue between the two leaders comes in the backdrop of more than eight hundred angry supporters of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a far-right Islamic extremist political party based in Pakistan, attacking a garment factory and lynching its general manager on Friday. Subsequently, the body of the 40-year-old was set on fire over allegations of blasphemy.

"A mob of over 800 men gathered at the factory at 10 am Friday on reports that Kumara had torn a sticker/poster inscribed with Islamic verses and committed blasphemy. They looked out for him and found him (from the rooftop). They dragged him, beat him severely and by 11.28 am he was dead and the body was set on fire by the violent mob," PTI quoted Inspector General of Police (Punjab) Rao Sardar Ali Khan as saying.

The video of the incident soon went viral like a wildfire on social media platforms resulting in global backlash for PM Imran Khan-led Pakistan government. Amid mounting pressure, the government said more than 800 people have been booked under terrorism charges.

According to media reports, the victim was a graduate of the University of Peradeniya and had been working in Pakistan for the last 11 years. He was elevated as a manager in the Rajko industries, which deals in garments-sportswear, in 2012. He is survived by his wife and two children. 

With inputs from PTI

Image: AP