Sri Lankan cricketing legend Arjuna Ranatunga has written a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan in the wake of lynching of a Sri Lankan citizen in Sialkot on December 3.
In the letter, Ranatunga, a contemporary of Khan, has expressed the hope that the Pakistani premier “will be able to teach the few misguided individuals within the Pakistani community to treat everyone with the same respect and dignity that all human beings deserve”.
He praised Pakistani the prime minister for “the diligent efforts to bring justice to the barbaric, violent crime committed against Priyantha Diyawadanage”.
“As you have reiterated in the media over the past few days, such violent, vigilante behaviour should be condemned vigorously,” Ranatunga wrote.
He said it was important for everyone to understand that the violent behaviour was demonstrated by “a small portion of the population” and that “a whole nation should not be judged on the actions of a few, especially considering the longstanding relationship between our two nations”.
The 1996 World Cup winning Sri Lankan captain said the bond between the two countries has “always been one of strength and solidarity”.
“When Sri Lanka was once in despair, it was Pakistan that supported our soldiers, and in 1996, when other nations refused to come to Sri Lanka to partake in the Cricket World Cup due to the ongoing Civil War, Pakistan along with other Asian nations such as India stood by us and showed your support by coming to Sri Lanka with a collaborative Asian team,” he recalled.
Dear Hon. Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI,
Thank you for all your efforts in bringing justice for the crime committed against Priyantha Diyawadanage, and for the continued support and commitment toward his family.
Best Regards,
Your friend and colleague,
Arjuna pic.twitter.com/WwcvOWaIjK
— Arjuna Ranatunga (@ArjunaRanatunga) December 13, 2021
He reminded Khan that as a token of Sri Lanka’s gratitude for Pakistan’s continued support, “Sri Lankan cricketers continued to participate in tournaments when other nations refused to do so due to safety concerns”.
Ranatunga said: “You have always been unwavering in facing challenges, be it the cricket field or the political arena.”
He said that PM Khan had been “carefully addressing some controversial issues in the country” after his rise to power.
“In the same manner, I hope you will be able to teach the few misguided individuals within the Pakistani community to treat everyone with the same respect and dignity that all human beings deserve,” the former batsman wrote.
In the end, Ranatunga said he would like to once again thank the premier for his “efforts in finding all the individuals guilty of committing this horrendous crime and bringing them to justice”.
“We Sri Lankans as a nation truly appreciate the sentiments you have expressed regarding the future of the Diyawadanage family, and all the contributions will go a long way in aiding Priyantha’s wife and children,” he said.
“Your continued support, and the actions of Pakistanis will go a long way in helping the family heal from this traumatic experience,” the cricketer added.
Priyantha was working as a manager at a private factory in Sialkot and he was lynched on December 3 by a mob after he was accused of blasphemy.
The incident was dubbed by Prime Minister Imran Khan as “a day of shame for Pakistan”.
Workers of a garment industry, located on Sialkot’s Wazirabad Road, had alleged that the foreigner had committed blasphemy. He was subsequently lynched and his body set on fire.
The mob had also vandalised the factory and blocked traffic, according to the police.
The brutal murder drew widespread condemnation from senior government functionaries, including the prime minister and president, as well as the military’s top leadership, who promised to bring all those involved to the book.
