PM Imran to attend condolence reference for Priyantha today

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan: Prime Minister Imran Khan will participate in the condolence reference on Tuesday for the Sri Lankan national Priyantha Diyawadana who was brutally lynched by a mob at a factory in Sialkot over Friday over alleged blasphemy.

The condolence reference is being held in Prime Minister Office to express solidarity with the bereaved family of Priyantha Diyawadana, the Sri Lankan government and the people of Sri Lanka over the tragic happening, said Prime Minister Office (PMO) in a press release.

During the ceremony,  Malik Adnan, who tried his utmost to shelter and save his colleague from the vigilante mob, will also be awarded a Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of his bravery and efforts to protect Priyantha Diyawadana.

Earlier on Monday evening, the mortal remains of 49-year-old factory manager Priyantha Kumara of the Sialkot tragedy Priyantha Diyawadana reached Colombo.

Pakistan Acting High Commissioner Tanvir Ahmad and Press Secretary Kalsoom Qaiser received the mortal remains and conveyed the sympathies of the people and government of Pakistan to the relatives of the deceased present at the airport.

Also read: Govt decides to implement strategy to curb Sialkot-like incidents

Prime Minister Imran Khan had said that the perpetrators had no mercy from God and they will not be given any pardon by the law as well.

Later, Prime Minister Imran Khan announced to award Tamgha-e-Shujaat to a man who attempted to save Sri Lankan manager from getting lynched by a frenzied mob in Sialkot.

The incident took place on December 3 in Sialkot when Kumara, 48, a factory manager working in the city, was beaten to death and his body set alight.

The vigilante attack caused outrage, with Prime Minister Imran Khan calling it a “day of shame for Pakistan.”

According to the global news agency AFP, Local police officials said that rumours spread that Diyawadana had “torn down a religious poster and thrown it in the dustbin” and that up to 120 people had been arrested, including one of the main accused. However, his wife, Nilushi, has refuted the blasphemy claim.