Sri Lanka's President condemns barbaric lynch-mob murder of Lankan in Pakistan

Taking cognizance of the brutal lynching and murder of the Sri Lankan national in Pakistan's Sialkot, Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Saturday expressed deep concern. Gotabaya Rajapaksa called on Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to ensure justice is served to the Sri Lankan victim. Further, Rajapaksa also asked the Pakistan government to ensure the safety of the remaining Sri Lankan workers in the country.

In a shocking turn of events, a mob on Friday lynched a Sri Lankan national- Priyantha Kumara before setting his body on fire over allegations of blasphemy. According to a Pakistani official, 'Kumara allegedly removed and tore a poster of the hardline Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in which Quranic verses were inscribed and threw it in the dustbin. A couple of factory workers saw him and spread the word'. The official outlined that on hearing what Kumara did, hundreds of men started gathering outside the factory from adjoining areas, most of whom were activists and supporters of the TLP.

 "The mob dragged the suspect (the Sri Lankan national) from the factory and severely tortured him. After he succumbed to his wounds, the mob burnt his body before police reached there," the official said.

Pakistan PM takes cognisance of the matter

After facing backlash from all corners, Prime Minister Imran Khan had earlier reacted on the horrific Sialkot incident, calling it a 'black day for Pakistan'. the Pakistani PM highlighted that he was 'overseeing the investigation' in the incident, and assured that all those responsible will be 'punished with the full severity of the law'.

Law enforcement authorities in Pakistan's Punjab drafted a team of 10 and launched a search to identify the perpetrators of the nerve-wracking mob lynching incident, stressing that they would investigate all aspects. They have so far detained 100 suspects linked to the case.

Image: AP/ Republicworld/ PTI