Main culprits involved in Sialkot tragedy arrested: Fawad

Sialkot lynching against teachings of Islam, says ulema

ISLAMABAD:

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said on Tuesday that the Sialkot incident was condemned across the country and all the main accused involved in the lynching have been arrested.

The nation was shell-shocked and disgusted when a Sri Lankan national was brutally lynched and his body was set on fire by a mob in Sialkot. The sickening incident outraged the nation as the civil and military leaders denounced it as “horrific” “shameful” and “extra-judicial vigilantism”.

The minister said this during a meeting with Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to Pakistan Mohan Vijay Vikrama here.

Fawad also expressed profound regret over the incident and informed the high commissioner about the steps taken by the government after the incident.

The high commissioner said the Sri Lankan government was satisfied with the steps taken by the government of Pakistan and this tragic incident would not affect the relations between the two countries.

'Sialkot lynching against teachings of Islam'

Clerics belonging to the All Pakistan Ulema Council (APUC) held a condolence reference on Tuesday at Sri Lankan High Commission to condemn the heinous Sialkot lynching incident.

The gathering was held to express solidarity with the bereaved family and the Sri Lankan government and people over the incident.

Read More: Sri Lanka to bolster security of international players after Sialkot lynching

During a press conference today, religious scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani said that the incident was highly condemnable and was "against the teachings of Islam".

"The lynching was inhumane and against the teachings of Islam. Even though a price cannot be put on an individual's life, I would urge the federal government to pay compensation to the family members of the victim," Usmani said.

The religious scholar further added that everyone in the council was of the same opinion that the culprits involved in the brutal act should be punished according to the law.

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Former federal minister for religious affairs, Hamid Saeed Kazmi, lamented that the incident had ashamed the whole nation and urged the federal government to pay compensation to the family members of the victim to express Pakistan’s gratitude as Kumara was not only serving his nation but also Pakistan.

The incident was the most inhumane and barbaric thing that could be done to any human and there was no justification was it, he added.

“Religious scholars are at a loss of words,” he added. “We have also shared our feelings with the Sri Lankan high commissioner and are thankful for his assurance that his incident would not affect the bilateral ties between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.”

Condemning the incident Senator Sajid Mir said it was a cruel act and should be condemned at all levels.

He further said that the incident had nothing to do with the sentiments of the Pakistani’s people.

General Secretary of the Wafaq-ul-Madaris, Qari Hafeez Jalandhari condemned the incident and suggested holding a day of condemnation on December 10, Friday. “Clerics of mosques are urged to preach the true teachings of Islam in Friday sermons,” he added.

The conference was also attended by the chairman of the council Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, Wari Hafeez Jalandhary, Sajid Mir, Muhammad Zubair, Hamid Raza, Allama Arif Hussain Wahidi, and Islamic Ideology Council Chairperson Qibla Ayaz.

The gut-wrenching incident took place on Sialkot’s Wazirabad Road, where workers of private factories brutally lynched the Sri Lankan national.

Several gruesome video clips shared on social media showed a mob beating the victim while chanting slogans against blasphemy. Other clips showed his body set ablaze, as well as the overturned wreckage of what was said to be his car.

Many in the mob made no attempt to hide their identity and some took selfies in front of the burning corpse. The police claimed that the grisly incident took place inside the factory premises and there was no way of knowing about it before that time.