Lynched Sri Lankan’s brother hopes PM Imran will take action against culprits
ISLAMABAD: Kamal Kumara, brother of Sri Lankan manager Priyantha Kumara, who was killed by angry protesters in Sialkot, on Monday expressed hope that Prime Minister Imran Khan will take serious action against those involved in the incident.
Speaking to an Arab media outlet on Monday, he said that the Sri Lankan government should contact the Pakistani government and the factory owners for financial compensation for his immediate family.
Kumara said that the victim is survived by his wife and two children, aged nine and 14. “I told [Sri Lankan officials to] please ask the Pakistani government to help his family, because he has a wife and two children who are alone, and they need to be educated.”
“I have to tell the [the perpetrators]: please don’t do this, this kind of attack, don’t react inhumanly,” Kumara said adding, “We are humans, no? We have to respect each other and each other’s religion.”
“We believe that [Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan] will take serious action,” Kumara added.
Earlier, Prime Imran Khan had assured the Sri Lankan President that strict action would be taken in accordance with the law against the culprits involved in the Sialkot tragedy.
In his tweet, Prime Minister Imran Khan wrote that he had a telephonic conversation with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and conveyed the nation s anger and shame over the vigilante killing of Sri Lankan national Priyantha Diyawadana in Sialkot.
The prime minister said he informed the Sri Lankan President about more than 100 arrests made in connection with the killing and assured him that responsible elements involved in the incident would be prosecuted with the full severity of the law.
On the other hand, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa expressed “deep concern” and “shock” over the fatal attack on a Sri Lankan working in Pakistan’s Punjab province and expressed confidence that PM Imran Khan would bring perpetrators to justice.
President Gotabaya, who is currently attending the Indian Ocean Conference in Abu Dhabi, said in a tweet: “Deeply concerned by the incident in Sialkot #Pakistan. #SriLanka trusts that PM @ImranKhanPTI and the Govt. of Pakistan will ensure justice is served and ensure the safety of the remaining Sri Lankan workers in Pakistan,” a day after a violent mob lynched a Sri Lankan national, before burning his body, over alleged blasphemy.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said on Twitter: “Shocking to see the brutal and fatal attack on Priyantha Diyawadana by extremist mobs in #Pakistan. My heart goes out to his wife and family. #SriLanka and her people are confident that PM @ImranKhanPTI will keep to his commitment to bring all those involved to justice.
In a tweet on what he called a “horrific vigilante attack”, PM Khan said it was a “day of shame” for Pakistan. Those responsible would be punished with “the full severity of the law”, he said. TF Report
