Pakistan assures Sri Lanka of justice in Sialkot tragedy
Wife of lynched victim pleads for justice; body taken to Lahore after autopsy; will be flown via special flight to Sri Lanka
December 04, 2021
- PM Imran Khan apprises Sri Lankan president on probe in lynching incident.
- Sri Lankan PM, president express confidence in Pakistani authorities; wife of victim pleads for justice.
- FM Qureshi speaks to Sri Lankan counterpart; hopes ties will not be affected.
- A Sri Lankan national was tortured to death in Sialkot a day earlier.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has assured Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa that Pakistan would ensure justice following the tragic Sialkot lynching which occurred a day earlier.
A Sri Lankan national, Diyawadanage Don Nandasri Priyantha, who had been working as a manager at Rajco Industries in Sialkot, was tortured to death and his body set on fire by a mob of workers over allegations of "blasphemy" on Friday.
The prime minister, in a tweet on Saturday, said he conveyed the nation's anger and shame to the people of Sri Lanka at the killing of Priyantha.
"I informed him 100+ people [have been] arrested and assured him they would be prosecuted with the full severity of the law," the prime minister added.
Post-mortem report reveals nearly all bones broken
The post-mortem report of the foreigner revealed that 99% of his body was burned, and with the exception of one foot, all his bones were broken.
All his vital organs — liver, stomach, and one of his kidneys — were affected, while torture marks were visible all over his body and his spinal cord was broken at three different points.
The report cited skull and jaw fractures as the cause of death.
A Punjab Police spokesperson said that following the autopsy, his body was sent to Lahore, with two Elite Force vehicles escorting it.
The body will be handed over to the Sri Lankan consulate in Lahore, the spokesperson said.
"After all legal formalities are fulfilled, the body will be sent to Sri Lanka via a special flight," the spokesperson added.
Good Samaritans tried to save Priyantha, his body
Meanwhile, footage has emerged of Good Samaritans attempting to save Priyantha and later, his body, from the violent group.
A man clad in a red sweater jumped in and tried to save Priyantha as the mob thrashed him. He formed a protective shield over him with his own body and bore the beating for a while but was unable to continue putting up resistance after a point.
After Priyantha was killed, another man, donning a black jacket, can be seen joining his palms together and pleading to the mob to spare the body and not set it on fire. But he was tossed aside by the vicious crowd.
Wife pleads for justice
Priyantha's wife has pleaded for justice for her slain husband from both Pakistani and Sri Lankan leaders, Sri Lankan news outlet Newswire reported.
“I got to know about the brutal murder of my husband from the news. Later I saw this on the internet as well. He was a very innocent man,” she said, talking to reporters from BBC Sinhala.
“I request leaders of Sri Lanka and Pakistan to do justice for my husband and two children, by bringing the perpetrators to justice” she went on to say.
The deceased's brother said that Priyantha had been working in the Sialkot factory since 2012.
Sri Lankan PM, president hopeful
Before holding talks with the premier, the Sri Lankan president — as well as Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa — expressed confidence that PM Imran Khan would ensure justice in the case.
The president, while expressing concern over the matter in a statement on Twitter, hoped that the Pakistani government would ensure the safety of Sri Lankan workers in the future.
"SriLanka trusts that PM Imran Khan and the Government of Pakistan will ensure justice is served," the president tweeted.
PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, whose government is a key regional ally to Pakistan, took to Twitter Friday and described the development as "shocking".
“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,” he wrote on Twitter.
He added: "Sri Lanka and her people are confident that PM Imran Khan will keep to his commitment to bring all those involved to justice."
FM Qureshi hopes ties will not be affected
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said he extended his condolences and expressed deep grief during a conversation with his Sri Lankan counterpart, Gamini Lakshman Peiris.
"Spoke to my brother FM Gamini Lakshman Peiris of SriLanka and expressed my deep grief and condolences. The Pakistan leadership will ensure all perpetrators will be brought to justice swiftly," he said.
Moreover, in a conversation with the media, Qureshi said the event was “unfortunate and shameful”, and that it had been condemned unanimously. "The prime minister is personally overseeing the investigation," he said.
The foreign minister told journalists that the government had given a 48-hour deadline to authorities to probe the matter.
“We are in contact with Sri Lanka on the issue. They lauded Pakistan’s stance in the matter and the government's prompt response,” he said.
The foreign minister hoped that the incident would not impact bilateral ties.
He said the entire nation's heads hang low in shame over the incident.
In an earlier tweet, Qureshi said "such acts have no place in our faith and country".
Report sent to PM
The Punjab government has sent an initial investigation report of the tragic incident to PM Imran Khan, well-placed sources told Geo News, as authorities confirmed that 118 people, including 13 key suspects, have been arrested.
Sources further told Geo News that two key suspects had "confessed" to their involvement in the torture and killing of the manager.
As per the preliminary report, a dispute had emerged when Priyantha removed some posters from the walls of the factory at 10:28am. The posters were reportedly inscribed with the name of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
Shortly after, the factory owner reached the spot and resolved the issue. Kumara had apologised for the misunderstanding on his part.
After Priyantha 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.
A total of 13 security guards were present in the factory as the brutal attack was occurring. None of them tried to rescue the victim or disperse the mob, said the report.
Kumara’s body was later dragged outside the factory.
Police received a phone call at 11:28am about the incident, officials said. A police party reached the site within 12 minutes.
Heavy contingents of police were later dispatched to the crime scene to round up and arrest suspects.
