Sialkot lynching: Sri Lanka minister slams extremist mobs in Pakistan; 'incomprehensible'

Reacting to the brutal lynching and murder of the Sri Lankan national in Sialkot, Sri Lanka's Cabinet Minister of Youth and Sports, Namal Rajapaksa described the tragedy as 'incomprehensible'. The government official appreciated Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's promise to bring justice however also added that people 'should be mindful that this could happen to anyone if extremist forces are allowed to act freely'. The victim was identified as Priyantha Kumara who was in his forties and working as the general manager of a factory in the Sialkot district, some 100 km from the site of the incident at Wazirabad Road. 

Sri Lankan leader on Pakistan Mob lynching:

The brutal murder of a Sri Lankan national in Pakistan

A mob on Friday lynched a Sri Lankan national before setting his body on fire over allegations of blasphemy. According to a Pakistani official, 'Kumara allegedly removed and tore a poster of the hardline Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in which Quranic verses were inscribed and threw it in the dustbin. A couple of factory workers saw him and spread the word'. The official outlined that on hearing what Kumara did, hundreds of men started gathering outside the factory from adjoining areas, most of whom were activists and supporters of the TLP. 

Pakistan PM takes cognisance of the matter

After facing severe backlash, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan broke his silence and took cognizance of the incident. Khan called it a 'day of shame for Pakistan'. The Pakistani PM highlighted that he was 'overseeing the investigation' in the incident, and assured that all those responsible will be 'punished with the full severity of the law'.

Pakistan Police arrests 100 suspects

In the latest update, Imran Khan-led government on Friday detained as many as 100 suspects linked to the case. Law enforcement authorities in Pakistan's Punjab drafted a team of 10 and launched a search to identify the perpetrators of the nerve-wracking mob lynching incident, stressing that they would investigate "all aspects". The arrests came after the IG ordered officials to submit a report within 48 hours, reported Samaa TV. Among the hundred detained in relation to the case is prime suspect Farhan Idrees, informed the provincial police chief, who has been supervising the mission. 

Image: @Rajapaksa/Twitter/AP/Republicworld