The barbaric Sialkot lynching incident by an Islamist mob should not be linked to Prime Minister Imran Khan's decision to lift the ban on the hardline Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), said Defence Minister Pervez Khattak while blaming the emotions of young people as a reason for such incidents. He said he too could do something wrong under "heightened emotions" but it did not mean "Pakistan is going towards destruction."

"You know the reasons too. When children ... grow up, they become spirited and do things out of emotions. This does not mean 'this was the result of that action'," Khattak sought to rationalise the brutish happening to the media in Peshawar. He further said some youth had accused the Sri Lankan national of disrespecting Islam, which led to the "sudden" lynching. according to local media. 

The incident took place on Wazirabad Road in Sialkot - an industrial hub between Sialkot and Wazirabad cities of Punjab - on Friday. The Sri Lankan, identified as Priyantha Kumara Diyawadana, was a senior manager at a leading Sialkot factory that manufactures and exports sports products. A frenzied mob in Sialkot in Pakistan tortured the Sri Lankan factory manager to death and then burnt his body in public allegedly over allegations of blasphemy. Punjab Police said they have arrested 100 suspects.

According to Geo News, which cited his post-mortem report, all bones of Priyantha Kumara Diyawadana’s were broken and 99% of his body was burnt following his gruesome lynching.

The report outlined skull and jaw fractures as the cause of death of Diyawadana. Due to the attack, his vital organs, liver, stomach and one of his kidneys, were affected. Barring one foot, every part of his body sustained severe injuries. His spinal cord was also broken at three different points, the reports said. 

According to Dawn, the TLP has been linked to the gory incident by users on social media, but the group distanced itself from the lynching and condemned it.

In response to the media's question on the minister was holding "emotions" responsible for the murder of nine police personnel allegedly by TLP protesters and the Sri Lankan national, he said, "So this happens among kids, fights take place and even murders. [Does] this mean it is the government's fault?"

He then blamed the media for putting "the onus for everything on the government".

"Why don't you change this mindset? Your anchors should come on TV and make the children understand their religion. You only take advertisements and earn money," he said, while trying to shift the blame for the incident on the media. 

On November 7, Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government had announced its decision to remove the TLP from the list of "proscribed" organisations under the country's anti-terrorism law.

According to Dawn, leaders of Muslim, Christian, Hindu and Sikh communities on Sunday declared the Sialkot mob lynching as "barbaric and brutal".

While apologising to the people of Sri Lanka on behalf of Pakistan, they demanded the Chief Justice of Pakistan to ensure a speedy trial of the culprits for an early justice.(SAM)