A Sri Lankan manufacturing manager was beaten to death and set ablaze by a mob in Pakistan, according to authorities, in an assault tied to alleged blasphemy, according to local media. Meanwhile, PM Imran Khan has assured a transparent investigation of the Sialkot incident
On Friday, the incident occurred in Sialkot, roughly 200 kilometres (125 miles) southeast of Islamabad.
Few subjects in Pakistan are as stimulating as blasphemy, and even the smallest hint of an offence to Islam can trigger riots and lynchings.
Prime Minister Imran Khan said he was overseeing the investigation into “the heinous Sialkot incident,” which he described as “a day of disgrace for Pakistan.”
“Let there be no mistake all those responsible will be punished with the full severity of the law,” he tweeted.
Investigators believe the attackers accused the manager of blasphemy for ripping down a poster with Islamic holy passages, according to a police official in Sialkot who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the case.
Several terrible video clips circulated on social media, showing a mob thrashing the prone victim while yelling anti-blasphemy chants.
Other footage showed his body on fire and the upturned wreckage of what was alleged to be his car.
Many members of the crowd made no effort to conceal their identities, and some even took photographs in front of the burning body.
Hassaan Khawar, a spokesman for the Punjab administration, told reporters in Lahore that police had already arrested 50 people.
“CCTV footage is being carefully looked into as we have been directed to complete the inquiry within 48 hours,” he said.
The anti-blasphemy slogans shouted in the social media videos were similar to those used by followers of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).
The TLP has already used rallies to bring the country to a halt, including an anti-French campaign last year after the Paris-based satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo reprinted caricatures depicting the Prophet Muhammad.
In Pakistan, where blasphemy is punishable by death, mob killings over blasphemy claims are common.
In a taped video speech released on social media, Tahir Ashrafi, Khan’s adviser for religious cooperation, condemned the killers.
“It is a barbaric act and against Islam’s teaching,” he said.
According to a senior Pakistani official, Islamabad has spoken with Sri Lankan officials about the tragedy and “assured them that all those responsible for the horrible murder will be brought to justice.”
Accusations of blasphemy, according to rights groups, are frequently used to settle personal vendettas, with minorities disproportionately targeted.
“Today’s event highlights the urgency with which an atmosphere that allows abuse and puts lives in danger must be rectified,” Amnesty International South Asia wrote in a tweet using the hashtag #Sialkot, which was trending in Pakistan at the time.
