Columns

The horrifying incident in Sialkot where Sri Lankan citizen Priyantha Kumara was murdered by a mob has shaken all right thinking people in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the world at large. While Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has called it a day of shame for Pakistan there has been outright condemnation of the incident among the citizens of both countries.

Whatever postmortems or investigations of the why and wherefore of what happened to cause the inhuman killing of Priyantha Kumara will not result in giving back life to the breadwinner of the family. The perpetrators of this barbaric crime have rendered two innocent children fatherless and their mother a widow and they deserve to be held accountable.

Media reports of the incident have given different versions of the incident, none of which has been given authenticity by Government officials or independent commentators. One report suggests that when the Sri Lankan General Manager was directing cleaning up operations at the Sialkot factory in preparation for the visit of a German delegation some posters containing religion related content had been torn down. Yet another version is that it was an invitation to a religious event that had been removed in the cleaning process.

On the face of it both these versions look unlikely. Priyantha Kumara had served with great acceptance for more than ten years in his workplace and would have been well aware of the religious sensitivities of the different segments of Pakistani society.

Even if he was unwittingly treading on dangerous ground his colleagues would have alerted him to that fact. In fact there is no report to suggest that any action of Priyantha Kumara could have contributed to this incident.

Another report of what happened at the workplace is that there was a labour dispute going on in the factory and Priyantha Kumara being the face of the factory owner was a victim of the dispute. Giving some credence to this view was the report that the owner of the factory had intervened around 8.30 am that fateful morning to resolve an issue in the factory.

One possibility therefore is that those responsible for the murder of Priyantha Kumara had used religion as a cover for their despicable actions.

Another theory is that there could have been a political underpinning to this incident. There are reports that the perpetrators of this crime were shouting slogans usually associated with the Thehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) a political party that has been at odds with the Imran Khan Government. However adding to the confusion is the fact that the TLP leadership had disassociated itself with the actions of the mob and in fact condemned the incident.

Writing in the Daily Mirror, Journalist M. S. M. Ayub sums up his conclusion in the following words: “An allegation of blasphemy, an issue that is threatening the survival of the Imran Khan’s government is also involved in this issue. But the investigations conducted so far indicate that it is a concocted allegation to justify the barbarism meted out against the innocent man allegedly following an industrial dispute.”

The impact of this tragic incident has clearly shocked the Pakistani Nation. It has gone beyond the normal Government to Government concerns and has clearly touched the hearts and minds of the Pakistani people themselves.

Some of the spontaneous reactions of the Pakistani society confirm this. There have been civil society demonstrations condemning these incidents. In a show of unprecedented solidarity and concern, a delegation of high powered ulema (religious leaders) from all sects have visited the Sri Lankan High Commission in Islamabad and expressed their condemnation of the incident in no uncertain terms.

The Sialkot business community had announced that a donation of US$ 100,000 would be given to Priyantha Kumara’s family, while his monthly salary would also be paid continuously to his wife.

The Pakistani Law enforcement agencies have moved into action and already arrested over 139 individuals in connection with the incident and Prime Minister Imran Khan has gone on record to say that no one would be allowed to use violence in the name of religion in future.

The relations between Sri Lanka and Pakistan have stood the test of time and have always been in the nature of a special relationship. The good relations between the Governments of the two countries have percolated to the level of the people and is strong and enduring.

Those who have made Pakistan their temporary abode for studies or employment would vouch for the warmth shown to Sri Lankans by ordinary Pakistani citizens. There are many anecdotes of visitors from Sri Lanka being shown great cordiality and hospitality by people on the streets when they are identified Sri Lankans.

In a way the affection that the Pakistani people have for Sri Lankans was reflected by the spontaneous act of valour shown by Malik Adnan a colleague of Priyantha Kumara. He single handedly attempted to protect the life of the Sri Lankan from the marauding mob but failed.

“I am still in shock and am unable to accept that Priyantha is no more. We  lost a good man and a good mentor,” Mr Adnan said.

Prime Minster Imran Khan bestowed Pakistan’s second highest civilian award “Tamgha-e-Shujaat” to Malik Adnan who immediately dedicated it to the family of Priyantha Kumara and the people of Sri Lanka.

One cannot envy the Pakistani people and their Government in their efforts to overcome the challenges faced by them. A delegation from the South Asian Peoples Commission for the Rights of Minorities which toured Pakistan several years ago realided the enormity of the task faced by the country in resolving the many complex issues faced by the nation when it travelled the length and breadth of the country for seven days.

The Sialkot tragedy is only one manifestation of such challenges. Apart from bringing the perpetrators of this horrible crime to book, if the opportunity is used by the Pakistani authorities to investigate the circumstances and causes that led to the loss of life of an innocent man, it can greatly contribute to Pakistan’s future progress.

(javidyusuf@gmail.com)