As the Sialkot police tightened the noose around the culprits by executing more raids, a duty magistrate remanded thirteen main suspects in police custody till Monday, where they will be summoned before an anti-terrorism court for the lynching of Priyantha Kumara.
On Sunday, leaders of the Muslim, Christian, Hindu, and Sikh communities condemned the Sialkot mob lynching as “barbaric and brutal,” apologized on behalf of the Pakistani nation to the people of Sri Lanka, and demanded that the Chief Justice of Pakistan ensure a speedy trial of the perpetrators for prompt justice.
According to a police spokesman, 124 people have been arrested so far, with 19 of them being the main suspects. The search for individuals who were inciting violence and tormenting the unfortunate foreigner was also underway.
The Pakistan Civil Society Forum Layyah protested against the tragedy in Sialkot and demanded that reasons for rising extremism be addressed. Academicians, especially college lecturers, students, and members of the media joined the civil society.
Usman Buzdar: Perpetrators of the Sialkot incident deserve deterrent punishment
Usman Buzdar stated that the IG Police had been asked to complete the challan of those arrested and that the government, like previous high-profile cases, will bring this case to a logical conclusion. He went on to say that the Sialkot episode was a disgrace to humanity.
Usman Buzdar stated that those responsible for the savagery deserve deterrent punishment, which the Punjab government will provide by complying with all legal criteria.
Adnan Malik speaks up about the case
Adnan Malik said, “I was informed of the attack upon Priyantha while I was in a meeting. When I rushed to the scene, I saw 40 to 50 men lunging towards him.”
Furthermore, he said, “On seeing angry men, I raced to rescue Priyantha from them. But, he had suffered injuries on his head and face before I got to him.”
Malik claimed he was also beaten up while attempting to protect the Sri Lankan man from the enraged mob.
“Workers from the adjacent factory and locals broke in and joined the mob. I begged all the people [to spare his life] but they didn’t listen to his single plea and kept on brutally beating him,” he recalled.
Malik expressed regret for not being able to save Priyantha Kumara’s life, saying that he was strict about being honest and dutiful.
He claimed that Priyantha would not only observe the factory’s laws and regulations personally but would also instruct his employees to do so. He claimed that posters are frequently displayed at the plant but are removed after cleaning.
Malik claimed that the Sri Lankan manager couldn’t read or write Urdu, so he requested that the religious writings on the posters be removed immediately.
Imran Khan announced Taghma I Shujaat
The prime minister praised Mr. Adnan’s bravery in attempting to save the victim and announced a civil prize for him.
Prime Minister tweeted, “On behalf of the nation I want to salute moral courage & bravery of Malik Adnan who tried his utmost to shelter & save Priyantha Diyawadana from the vigilante mob in Sialkot incl endangering his own life by physically trying to shield victim. We will award him Tamgha I Shujaat.”
The Pakistan Ulema Council and the Interfaith Harmony Council will award shields to the two young men who sought to save the Sri Lankan manager from the crowd, according to Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Interfaith Harmony Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi.
No one had the right, he claimed, to take the law into their own hands, because a plaintiff could not be both a judge and an executor at the same time.
Friday sermons, according to Hafiz Ashrafi, will be used to enlighten the public about existing blasphemy laws in order to prevent the recurrence of such horrible acts.
Father James Chunan, a Christian priest, urged for raising public awareness to prevent the misuse of blasphemy laws in the country.
Ramzan Sialvi, the Khateeb of Data Darbar mosque, warned that connecting religion with any act carried out for a vested motive will weaken blasphemy laws.
Sardar Sikander Singh, a Sikh politician, and Bhagat Lal Khokhar, a Hindu leader, both condemned the Sialkot event as a conspiracy against Pakistan and urged harsh punishment for the perpetrators.
