Govt will not spare people resorting to violence in name of religion: PM Imran

Prime Minister Imran Khan awarded on Tuesday a certificate of appreciation to Malik Adnan, who tried to save Priyantha Diyawadana from the mob, stressing that the government will not spare those who resort to violence in the name of religion.

“Malik Adnan’s bravery is an example for all of us,” the premier said while addressing a condolence reference for the Sri Lankan national Priyantha Diyawadana at Prime Minister’s Office.

Members of the federal cabinet also attended the event, which was held in solidarity with Kumara's family and the Sri Lankan nation and government.

Addressing the event, the premier lauded Adnan's bravery, saying "role models are important in the country because people follow them."

"I am sure our youth will remember the way Malik Adnan stood up against those beasts," he said.

The premier said that Sialkot's business community had collected $0.1 million for Kumara and that his family would continue to receive his monthly salary.

He announced that Adnan would be given the Tamgha-i-Shujaat on March 23.

Man who tried to save life of Sri Lankan to get Tamgha-e-Shujaat

On Sunday, the premier had announced to award Tamgha-i-Shujaat to Malik. “On behalf of the nation, I want to salute the moral courage and bravery of Malik Adnan, who tried his utmost to shelter and save Priyantha Diyawadana from the vigilante mob in Sialkot including endangering his own life by physically trying to shield victim. We will award him Tamgha-i-Shujaat,” the PM said in a tweet on Sunday.

In footage shared on social media, Malik can be seen confronting a group of angry men all by himself and making desperate attempts to possibly convince the mob to take Kumara to a police station instead of taking the law into their hands. The mob, however, pushed him away and bundled Kumara, and brutally tortured him

PM Imran condemns 'horrific' killing of Sri Lankan manager in Sialkot

Earlier today, clerics from various schools of thought unanimously condemned the lynching of Sri Lankan national in Sialkot, calling it against the teaching of the Holy Quran.

Following their meeting with Sri Lankan High Commissioner Mohan Wijewickrama at the Sri Lankan Embassy in Islamabad on Tuesday, ulema from across the country addressed a presser. Scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani said that the incident has shaken the entire nation to its core, adding that the ulema equally shares the other side's grief.

Meanwhile, the remains of Priyantha Kumara were repatriated to Colombo, Sri Lanka, from Allama Iqbal International Airport on Monday afternoon. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Religious Harmony and Middle East Affairs Hafiz Mohammad Tahir Ashrafi, Honorary Consul General of Sri Lanka Yasin Joya, and representatives of the Punjab Home Department and Sri Lankan High Commission were present at the airport.

Talking to the media at the airport, Ashrafi said: “Today is a day of grief but we promise that the killers of Priyantha Kumara will be brought to justice.” He added that the whole nation would have to unite to eradicate extremism the way it had eliminated terrorism from the country.

On Monday, the premier chaired a high-level meeting to review the overall security situation in the country following the murder of the Sri Lankan national.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office, the meeting expressed serious concern over the cruel act of killing of Sri Lankan national in Sialkot and expressed the resolve to bring the perpetrators to justice.

"The participants of the meeting were of the view that individuals and mobs cannot be allowed to take the law into their hands and such incidents cannot be tolerated," the PMO said.

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Gujranwala has sent 26 suspects involved in the lynching and burning of the Sri Lankan national on 15-day physical remand. These suspects played a central role in the lynching of Kumara.

Ulema condemn Sialkot lynching, call for compensation to victim’s family

Sialkot incidence

On Friday, a mob of people described as “employees” of a garment factory in Sialkot had tortured and killed their Sri Lankan manager in factory premises and set his body on fire over blasphemy accusations. Video footage that went viral on social media showed that the mob first brutally beat up the foreign national, inside the factory and then dragged his corpse on the road and set it on fire.

Talking to the media, two men – Muhammad Talha and Muhammad Farhan - who introduced themselves as colleagues of Priyantha alleged that the factory workers became annoyed when the victim (operations manager) came to the factory and tore off a poster inscribed with Holy verses and dumped it into a dustbin.

He further claimed that he along with other employees approached the foreman and informed him about the incident and Priyantha fled from the scene while talking on his cellphone. Meanwhile, he said, the factory worked surrounded and punished him for his “blasphemous” act.