PM appreciates Sialkot businessmen for sending money to Kumara’s widow

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday appreciated the Sialkot business community for sending money to widow of the victim of Sialkot lynching incident, Priyantha Kumara.

“I want to appreciate the Sialkot business community for transferring $ 100,000 to account of Priyantha Kumara’s widow & Rajco Industries for transferring monthly salary of $ 2,000 to her account – which they will do for 10 yrs,” Imran Khan tweeted.

Dozens of people were arrested in Sialkot last year after the Sri Lankan factory manager was beaten to death and set ablaze by a mob who accused him of blasphemy.

The vigilante attack that had happened on December 3, 2021, caused outrage, with Prime Minister Imran Khan calling it a “day of shame for Pakistan”.

Local police officials had told AFP that rumours spread that Kumara 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.

On December 22, 2021, Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat had said that the accused, who were responsible for the Sialkot tragedy, must be awarded maximum punishment.