LAHORE: The police have arrested up to 120 people on charges of inciting and forming a mob to kill a foreign manager of a local business in Sialkot over blasphemy allegations.
A mob of factory employees had tortured to death and burned the body of Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lanka national working in Pakistan for ten years, on Friday reportedly over allegations of blasphemy.
Police on Saturday said Kumara was killed after it was rumoured that “the manager has committed blasphemy”.
“Rumour spread in the factory that the manager had torn down a religious poster and thrown it in the dustbin,” Zulfiqar Ali, a police official in the city, told AFP.
Khurram Shehzad, a police spokesman, said up to 120 people have been arrested, including one of the main accused.
Police had arrested also dozens late Friday — including Farhan Idrees and Usman Rasheed, two of the three main suspects.
The third suspect — Talha, arrested Saturday — was shifted to an undisclosed location for further interrogation.
Police said initial information shows Kumara was lynched inside the factory. Videos circulating on social media showed the mob dragging his heavily bruised body outside, where they burned it, surrounded by hundreds of others who cheered on the killers.
In a press conference alongside Punjab IGP Rao Sardar Ali Khan, Special Assistant to Punjab Chief Minister on Information Hasaan Khawar said that 200 raids have been conducted and 13 primary suspects have been arrested among others.
He said the police have obtained CCTV footages and started analysing mobile data and call records.
“There has been considerable progress and the investigation is continuing. I want to again reassure you that justice won’t only be carried out but will be seen to be carried out,” he said.
The IGP, while provided a timeline of Friday’s events, said a challan would be submitted in an anti-terrorism court as soon as possible to bring the culprits to justice.
Punjab govt sends preliminary report to PM:
Meanwhile, according to a news outlet, the Punjab government sent an initial investigation report of the incident to Prime Minister Imran Khan.
According to the preliminary report, a dispute had emerged when Kumara removed some religious posters from the walls of the factory at 10:28am. Shortly after, the factory owner reached the spot and resolved the issue as Kumara apologised for the misunderstanding on his part.
After Kumara made the apology, the matter was reportedly considered settled and the factory workers had dispersed. However, some workers then incited their colleagues to attack the manager. Within a few minutes, a mob formed and set on the victim within the premises of the industrial unit, eventually killing him.
Kumara’s body was later dragged outside the factory.
PM Imran talks to Sri Lanka President Rajapaksa:
Prime Minister Imran Khan said he had talked to Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to discuss the Sialkot incident.
In a tweet, the premier said: “Spoke to Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today in UAE to convey our nation’s anger and shame to people of Sri Lanka at vigilante killing of Priyantha Diyawadana in Sialkot. I informed him [that] over 100 people [have been] arrested and assured him they would be prosecuted with full severity of the law.”
Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa expressed confidence his Pakistan counterpart, Imran Khan, “will keep to his commitment to bring all those involved to justice”.
Shocking to see the brutal and fatal attack on Priyantha Diyawadana by extremist mobs in #Pakistan. My heart goes out to his wife and family. #SriLanka and her people are confident that PM @ImranKhanPTI will keep to his commitment to bring all those involved to justice.
— Mahinda Rajapaksa (@PresRajapaksa) December 4, 2021
Malik Naseem Awan, a resident and lawyer in Sialkot, told AFP he was worried about the impact it would have on Pakistan’s international image.
“I can’t tell you how embarrassed I am. It would have been different if someone had done this individually but the crowd present there was watching it silently, and no one tried to rescue him,” he said.
A senior official told AFP that Islamabad had been in touch with Sri Lanka diplomats over the incident “and have assured them that all those involved in the heinous crime will be brought to justice”.
Sri Lanka appreciates Pakistan’s prompt reaction: Qureshi
In a press conference, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that Sri Lanka has appreciated Pakistan’s stance and prompt reaction, adding that the incident is being monitored at the highest state levels and the PM is overseeing the investigation.
“We are in contact with Sri Lanka […] we kept their high commissioner updated moment-by-moment and I want to share that they have appreciated Pakistan’s stance and prompt reaction,” he said.
“This is an incident that has pained everyone … but they think that ‘we can’t blame an entire segment or country because of this.’ They [do] expect that Pakistan will bring those responsible to justice.”
‘HORRIFIC ATTACK’:
On Friday, Prime Minister Khan said on Twitter that the “horrific vigilante attack on factory [and] the burning alive of Sri Lankan manager is a day of shame for Pakistan.”
He promised a thorough investigation and said those responsible will be severely punished according to the law.
The horrific vigilante attack on factory in Sialkot & the burning alive of Sri Lankan manager is a day of shame for Pakistan. I am overseeing the investigations & let there be no mistake all those responsible will be punished with full severity of the law. Arrests are in progress
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) December 3, 2021
In a statement, Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa denounced the killing, saying the “cold-blooded murder” by a mob in Sialkot was “extremely condemnable and shameful.”
“Such extra-judicial vigilantism cannot be condoned at any cost,” Bajwa added.
In Colombo, Foreign Ministry spokesman Sugeeswara Gunaratne said their embassy in Islamabad was verifying details of the incident with Pakistani authorities.
“Sri Lanka expects that the Pakistan authorities will take [the] required action to investigate and ensure justice,” he said.
Tahir Ashrafi, the prime minister’s adviser for interfaith harmony, condemned the killers in a recorded video statement shared on social media.
“It is a barbaric act and against Islam’s teaching,” he said.
— With additional input from AFP, AP
investigation report to PM …trust ‘PM Khan?… by now it is very clear sheep-head ik’s jamboree sheep-head’s movements of U-turns from terrorists sent to jail to release them with honour and apology as dutiful citizens of political party brothers….
When he releases them all what he defends you know?… it will be blasphemy if they were punished as all TLP accused wore their flags inscribed with holy writings.. so he was nuked and cannot do any further…. rather he will fight with ECP to change their flags?..