Punjab to conduct Sialkot lynching trial on daily basis

The provincial government of Pakistan’s Punjab region has decided to conduct the trial pertaining to the mob lynching of Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan factory manager in Sialkot, on a daily basis.

This was decided in a meeting of the provincial cabinet committee on law and order presided over by Law Minister Muhammad Basharat Raja.

The committee directed the investigators to file the case challan in court within 14 days. The prosecution was also directed to set up a special cell to monitor the case trial. The meeting was attended by all the regional police officers (RPOs) and commissioners of the province via video link.

The Gujranwala RPO gave a detailed briefing on progress regarding the arrest of those still at large and assured the remaining accused would also be apprehended shortly.

The committee also considered holding the trial of the suspects inside jail.

A delegation of the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan (SCBAP)a day earlier visited the Sri Lankan High Commissioner Vice Admiral (R) Mohan Wijewickrama to pay condolences. The delegation was led by Senator Barrister Syed Ali Zafar.

Senator Zafar said the Pakistani people as well as the entire legal fraternity are deeply saddened and horrified and expressed solidarity with the Sri Lankan people and the family of deceased and strongly condemned the killing of Priyantha at the hands of the mob.

He also reiterated the unequivocal message of Prime Minister Imran Khan that there would be a zero-tolerance policy for such incidents in Pakistan.

Ali Zafar said he had been contacted by the president of the Sri Lankan Bar and they agreed that there would be a contact person from the SCBAP, who would monitor the prosecution and keep the victim’s family, as well as the Sri Lankan Bar, informed about the prosecution.

Source: Gulf News
-Agencies