Pakistani Prime Minister speaks to Sri Lanka President in UAE; conveys nation’s anger & shame

Imran Khan - Prime Minister of Pakistan

After the lynching of a Sri Lankan man in Pakistan’s Sialkot over alleged blasphemy, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has said he would personally oversee an investigation into “the horrific vigilante attack” which he also called “a day of shame for Pakistan”.

Khan has reached out to Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today in the UAE.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister conveyed his nation’s anger and shame over the horrific incident.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on Saturday expressed shock at the brutal Sialkot lynching of a Sri Lankan national, but expressed confidence in PM Imran Khan’s commitment to punish all those involved.

PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, whose government is a key regional ally to Pakistan, took to Twitter to condemn the horrific Friday incident that saw a mob torture and kill Priyantha Kumara.

Priyantha Kumara, working as a manager at a private factory in Sialkot, was tortured to death on Friday by a mob.

According to Dawn newspaper, workers of a garment industry, located on Sialkot’s Wazirabad Road, had alleged that the foreigner had committed blasphemy. He was subsequently lynched and his body set on fire.

The mob had also vandalised the factory and blocked traffic, according to police.

Earlier, Khan has strongly condemned the ‘horrific vigilante attack’, calling it a day of shame for Pakistan.

“The burning alive of Sri Lankan manager is a day of shame for Pakistan.”

Reacting to the attack on Twitter, the PM said that he was personally overseeing the investigations, ensuring that those responsible will be punished ‘with full severity of the law’.

On Saturday, Special Assistant to the Punjab Chief Minister on Information Hasaan Khawar updated the number of arrests to 118, saying that 200 raids had been conducted and that among those detained were 13 primary suspects.

In a press conference in Lahore alongside Punjab IGP Rao Sardar Ali Khan, the special assistant said the police had obtained footage from 160 CCTV cameras and additional video and data sources such as mobile data and call records were also being analysed.

(Source: Khaleej Times)