LAHORE – The brutal lynching of a Sri Lankan national in Sialkot, a city in the eastern Punjab province, has drawn a wide condemnation from all segments of society.
Top religious scholars of the country have expressed anger over the vigilant attack against the foreign national, identified as Priyantha Kumara, who was killed by a fuming mob over alleged blasphemy and later his body was set on fire.
Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council, Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, condemned the violent event and said that those involved in this barbaric act had brought shame to Islam and Pakistan. He said that Islam preached peace and rejected violence.
Further, he said that ulema will soon hold a press conference to condemn this incident and also visit the Sri Lankan embassy in Pakistan to express condolence.
Noted Islamic scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani, who has also served as a judge of country ‘s top Islamic court, said that the Sialkot incident has “disgraced” Pakistan and the Muslim Ummah.
“Blasphemy is an extremely heinous crime; but it requires equally strong evidence to prove it Taking it upon oneself to lay accusation and mete out punishment in a barbaric and Haram way has no justification at all. The #Sialkotincident has disgraced this country and Muslim Ummahm,” he wrote on Twitter.
Blasphemy is an extremely heinous crime; but it requires equally strong evidence to prove it Taking it upon oneself to lay accusation and mete out punishment in a barbaric and Haram way has no justification at all.
The #Sialkotincident has disgraced this country and Muslim Ummah— Muhammad Taqi Usmani (Official) (@muftitaqiusmani) December 4, 2021
Dr Tahirul Qadri in a statement termed it a painful incident, adding that it has damaged the peaceful teachings of Islam and the identity of Pakistan.
حالیہ سیالکوٹ واقعہ دلخراش اورانتہائی افسوسناک ہے اس واقعہ سے اسلام کی پرامن تعلیمات اورپاکستان کے تشخص کونقصان پہنچا، اسلام میں قانون ہاتھ میں لینے اوراس نوع کی حیوانیت کی کوئی گنجائش نہیں ہے، یہی وقت ہے کہ ریاست پاکستان جنونیت کے انسدادکے لیے اپنافیصلہ کن کردارادا کرے۔#Sialkot
— ڈاکٹر طاہرالقادری (@TahirulQadriUR) December 4, 2021
In Islam, no one is allowed to take the law in his hand, he said and urged the government to take measures to counter fanaticism in the country.
Former Ruet-e-Hilal Committee chairman Mufti Muneebur Rehman also condemned the incident. He said that there is no space for such isolated act as Pakistan has its own constitutional and legal system to address the matters.
Key suspects confess to lynching Sri Lankan manager in Sialkot
