In a laudable gesture of restitution for a heinous act of their compatriots, Pakistan’s business community has come forward to assist the widow of the Sri Lankan manager who was lynched last year in Sialkot's industrial area. The gesture of support for her has won hearts both in Sri Lanka and Pakistan. 

Last year in December, Priyantha Kumara Diyawadanage, a Sri Lankan Christian who was working with Pakistan’s Rajco Industries, was lynched in the northern district of Sialkot by a blood-thirsty Islamist mob of hundreds before his body was set on fire over allegations of blasphemy. The gruesome incident was met with shock and uproar around the world, with people calling for justice in both countries. 

Earlier this week, the Sialkot business association crowdfunded $100,000 in compensation to the wife of Priyanth, which Rajco Industries has transferred to her along with December month’s salary. Furthermore, the company also announced that it will continue to pay a monthly salary of $1667, which Priyantha was receiving, to her wife for the next ten years. 

“It is our responsibility to provide financial assistance to the affected family of the Sri Lankan citizen," Mian Imran Akbar, Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), was quoted as saying by Dawn. 

Prime Minister Imran Khan hailed the gesture by the SCCI and Rajco Industries to support the wife and family of the deceased. Significantly, Rajco Industries had earlier also appointed another Sri Lankan national to the vacant post.   

The organization pledged to take appropriate measures to prevent future such incidents that gave a bad name to Pakistan and its business climate. It stated that foreign employees and businessmen would be protected.  Sialkot is known as a producer of sports goods, surgical instruments, leather garments, gloves & accessories, and musical instruments.  

A series of effective measures that the Pakistan government and business community took following the tragic incident has managed to create a positive impression, especially among Sri Lankans, who were traumatized by the incident. 

In Pakistan, the media and the civilized community expressed horror with an op-ed writer writing in Geo News that "the state has caved into the extremists who can exploit it at will by wielding the tool of religion... we must act fast before the entire nation gets consumed by the flames of intolerance and bigotry".

(SAM)