Pakistan Church leaders condemn lynching of Sri Lankan national, demand justice

The Pakistani church leadership has condemned the killing and burning of the body of a Sri Lankan Christian by a Sialkot mob on Saturday.

As many as 124 people have been arrested in the lynching of a Sri Lankan export manager by dozens of factory workers in Sialkot.

The gruesome killing of Priyantha Kumara, who was working in a sports garments manufacturing factory as a general manager for the last 10 years, on blasphemy allegations had shocked and pained the entire country, said Church of Pakistan Moderator/President Bishop Dr Azad Marshall and Roman Catholic Archbishop of Lahore Sebastian Francis Shaw.

"Mr Kumara's cold-blooded murder has left us all grieving. Our hearts and prayers go out to his family and to the Sri Lankan people on this great tragedy. As Pakistanis, our heads hang in shame," they were quoted as saying by The Nation newspaper.

On Friday, a mob had tortured Diyawadana to death before burning his body in Sialkot over alleged blasphemy. The incident took place in the Wazirabad Road area.

Local media reports said the workers of private factories attacked the export manager of the factory Diyawadana and burnt his body after killing him, Dawn newspaper reported.

According to Bishop Marshall, the public outcry over the Sialkot incident showed that a huge majority of Pakistani citizens were opposed to growing extremism and intolerance in society.

Meanwhile, the National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR) has demanded a speedy and impartial probe into the lynching of Sri Lankan factory manager Priyantha Kumara Diyawadana in Sialkot.

"We, at the commission, are deeply perturbed by the brutal mob violence and blatant violation of human rights, especially against a guest in our country. It is unfortunate that the commission is issuing its very first introduction statement over such a horrific incident that has shaken the whole nation," the statutory body was quoted as saying by Dawn newspaper.

(ANI)