Sialkot: Crowds beat Sri Lankan citizen for blasphemy, set him on fire after the murder

 

Sialkot: Crowds beat Sri Lankan citizen for blasphemy, set him on fire after the murder

An angry mob in Sialkot brutally tortured a Sri Lankan factory manager to death and set his body on fire, accusing him of blasphemy.

Sialkot District Police Officer (DPO) Omar Saeed Malik said the victim was identified as Priyantha Kumara.

A few hours after the incident in Sialkot, Special Assistant to the Punjab Chief Minister Hassan and IG Punjab Rao Sardar Ali Khan in a press conference, Special Representative for Religious Affairs Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi condemned the incident on behalf of the Ulema.

"I condemn this atrocity on behalf of the Pakistani nation, scholars of all schools of thought, shaykhs, and believers of all religions," he said.

He said that I think this incident has brought Islam into disrepute and those who have done so have brought Pakistan into disrepute.

Tahir-ul-Ashrafi said that God willing, if there is blasphemy or blasphemy, then we have laws in this regard.

He said that those who have done this have neither served Pakistan nor Islam, even though they have opposed the commands of Muhammad Rasoolullah and Sira Tayyaba of Rasool Akram.

He said that all religious forces of Pakistan, scholars, and leaders of all schools of thought have condemned it and whatever will be done. Not served

"We express our condolences to the people of Sri Lanka and especially to the families of the victims and I am ashamed of this incident because they have distorted the face of Islam," he said.

Tahir Ashrafi said that scholars and leaders of all schools of thought would hold a joint press conference in this regard and would also go to the Sri Lankan embassy this week to offer condolences.

He said that 50 people have been arrested so far and more suspects would be arrested through CCTV footage and there would also be an FIR under the Anti-Terrorism Act Seven ATA.

On the occasion, IG Punjab said that the police had initially received the complaint at 11:26 am and the personnel reached the spot at 11:46 am.

"We are investigating and looking into the work of the police to see if there is any cheapening," he said.

The IG said the matter was sensitive and heartbreaking.

Hassan Khawar said that they are trying to get CCTV footage so that the accused can be identified. Regional Police Officer and Gujranwala Commissioner are present at the spot.

He said that IG Punjab has issued orders to submit the report of the incident within 48 hours.

Later, Punjab Police said in a statement on Twitter that "in Sialkot incident, police have arrested Farhan Idrees, one of the main accused involved in violence and provocation".

"More than 100 people have been arrested, IG Punjab is overseeing the whole affair, raids are being carried out to nab the other accused," police said.

Attack on the factory manager

The incident took place on Wazirabad Road in Sialkot, where workers of a private factory allegedly attacked and killed the export manager of a factory and then set it on fire.

Sialkot police chief Armaghan Gondal told the Associated Press, a foreign news agency, that a factory worker accused the victim of desecrating a poster with the name of the Prophet Muhammad on it.

Armaghan Gondal said that according to preliminary information, the victim was targeted by the manager inside the factory.

DPO Omar Saeed Malik said that the mob was trying to find out the real reasons behind the killing of the Sri Lankan citizen and the body has been shifted to hospital for autopsy.

Hundreds of people can be seen at the scene in the video that went viral on social media, while in some videos the crowd can be heard chanting slogans.

Most of the people around the crematorium were seen making videos on their mobile phones.

RPO Gujranwala Imran Ahmar told reporters that the incident was being investigated by the police and details would be released after gathering all the evidence.

He said that according to the law, action would be taken against those involved in the incident and it would be premature to determine the reasons before the investigation.

Later, Sialkot police said in a statement that they have started an investigation into the incident which was carried out by an angry mob.

The statement said that a case has been registered against the unidentified persons under Sections 7 and 431, 427, 149, 147, 297, 201, and 302 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Sialkot police said that 10 teams have been formed for the investigation led by DPO Sialkot which will identify the accused with the help of CCTV footage and conduct raids to arrest them.

Condemnation of the incident by various personalities

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Bazdar took notice of the killing on social networking site Twitter and termed it as "extremely unfortunate".

"IG Punjab has been directed to investigate the incident. No one will be allowed to take the law into their own hands. I assure you that those involved in this inhumane act will not be spared," he said.

According to a statement issued by the Pakistan Army Public Relations (ISPR), Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa said that the killing of innocent people by a mob in Sialkot was reprehensible and shameful. Murder cannot be forgiven at any cost.

According to ISPR, the Army Chief directed the civil administration to extend all possible assistance in arresting the culprits of this horrific incident.

Earlier, the Chief Minister had sought a report from the Inspector General of Police (IG) Punjab and ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident.

The Chief Minister directed that a report should be submitted after investigating every aspect of the incident and action should be taken against those who took the law into their own hands.

He further said that no one can be allowed to take the law into his own hands and the government would take legal action against the law-breaking elements.

Sialkot District Police Officer (DPO) Omar Saeed Malik said the victim was identified as Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan national.

A Sialkot police spokesman said details would be shared with the media after a preliminary investigation.

The Chief Minister has sought a report from the Inspector General of Police (IG) Punjab and has ordered a high-level investigation into the incident.

On the other hand, Inspector General (IG) Punjab Rao Sardar Ali Khan also took notice of the incident and directed the Regional Police Officer (RPO) Gujranwala to reach the spot.

The IG said that DPO Sialkot was present at the spot and all aspects of the incident should be investigated.

Federal Minister for Human Rights Shirin Mazari in a tweet called the incident tragic and reprehensible.

"Crimes by angry mobs are not acceptable because there are state laws to deal with crime," he said.

He said that the action of the Punjab government should be complete and unambiguous.

Social media users also expressed outrage over the incident.

Amnesty International also took note of the incident.

Amnesty International said in a statement that the Sri Lankan factory manager in Sialkot was allegedly killed by an angry mob for blasphemy.

It may be recalled that there was an incident in Sialkot in 2010 when a mob had brutally murdered two teenage brothers by declaring them, dacoits.

When the mobile phone videos of the incident went viral on social media, there was a wave of surprise and shock across the country.