Sialkot lynching: Pakistan police arrests 100 suspects after pressure from Sri Lankan govt

After Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sugeeshwara Gunaratna pressed Pakistan into taking legal actions against dastardly lynching of a Sri Lankan national in Sialkot, Pakistan, by a mob of frenzied Islamic hardliners. Imran Khan-led government on Friday detained as many as 100 suspects linked to case. Pakistani mob earlier yesterday lynched factory workers, including a Sri Lankan export manager named Priyantha Kumara, labelling him a 'blasphemer' and setting his body ablaze.

Law enforcement authorities in Pakistan's Punjab drafted a team of 10 and launched a search to identify perpetrators of nerve-wracking mob lynching incident, stressing that y would investigate "all aspects".  arrests came after IG ordered officials to submit a report within 48 hours, reported Samaa TV. Among hundred detained in relation to case is prime suspect Farhan Idrees, informed provincial police chief, who has been supervising mission. 

“In Sialkot incident, police have arrested Farhan Idrees, one of main accused involved in torture and incitement. More than 100 people have been arrested. IG Punjab is supervising whole matter,” Punjab Police official wrote on Twitter.

Hasaan Khawar, a spokesperson of Punjab government, revealed that at least 100 have been arrested in connection with Sri Lankan national’s mob lynching, many of whom were identified via CCTV footages, Samaa TV reported, according to ANI.

While several Pakistani government representatives condemned act, calling for culprits to be punished for barbarism, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Twitter that it was "a day of shame" for Pakistan and that those involved in crime that occurred in Wazirab Ro area would be arrested. 

In gruesome footages of incident floating across social media, workers of private factories were seen brutally attacking export manager of a factory, while y later charred his body after killing him. y also overturned wreckage of what appears to be his car and took selfies in front of his burning corpse. unruly mob n vandalized factory and blocked traffic, Geo TV reported citing police sources.

men could be heard chanting slogans "Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah" while mercilessly thrashing prone victim, a Sri Lankan man. A heavy contingent of police reached location where incident occurred. "After successful talks with angry group of protesters, traffic was resumed on ro," police official was quoted as saying by Geo TV. 

Punjab police calls incident 'sensitive, unfortunate'

Punjab police IG called incident "sensitive and unfortunate," Pakistan’s 24 news reported. President of Pakitan Arif Alvi appreciated police response and  "prompt action" taken by prime minister Imran Khan and his government.

Taking to his Twitter handle, Alvi wrote, " Sialkot incident is definitely very s and shameful, and not religious in any way whatsoever.” Furrmore, he said, “Islam is a religion that established cannons of deliberative justice rar than mob lynchings”. 

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan, deriding act said on Twitter: “ horrific vigilante attack on a factory in Sialkot and burning alive of Sri Lankan manager is a day of shame for Pakistan. I am overseeing investigations and let re be no mistake all those responsible will be punished with full severity of law. Arrests are in progress.”

He stressed, ”all those responsible will be punished with full severity of law”.

Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations issued a statement obtained by Geo TV on behalf of Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, who condemned "cold-blooded murder".

" cold-blooded murder of Sri Lankan [national], Mr Priyantha Kumara, by a mob in Sialkot is extremely condemnable and shameful, such extra judicial vigilantism cannot be condoned at any cost,"  statement re. 

Sri Lanka man 'hardworking and honest', Pak's police arrived in small number initially 

Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sugeeshwara Gunaratna told Sri Lankan media outlet News 1st that country's High Commission in Islamab is in process of verifying details of incident from Pakistan authorities, as Sri Lanka also demanded stern action from Pakistan.

Sources told Pakistan’s Geo TV that Kumara was a "hardworking and honest" production manager and by time his colleagues received news of his brutal attack, his body was alrey set on fire by Islamic hardliner mob.

An eyewitness told outlet that when police were alerted to outbreak of violence, it was alrey too late. witness also informed that only a very small bunch of officers arrived at scene initially. y were joined by ditional forces later.

Sri Lankan man was employed as General Manager Production in 2013. incident comes as Pakistan registers umpteen blasphemy cases against religious minorities like Hindus, Christians, Shia and Ahmiya Muslims that continues to be a cause of concern for rights activists.