Punjab government says Sialkot lynching accused to be tried inside jail

Security officials gather beside a damaged vehicle near the premises of a factory in Sialkot on December 3, 2021. (AFP)

• Sri Lankan Priyantha Kumara was lynched by a mob over blasphemy suspicions last week
• In Pakistan, mere allegations of blasphemy can trigger mob attacks

ISLAMABAD: The Punjab government has decided to hold an in-jail trial of suspects in the lynching of a Sri Lankan factory manager who was beaten and set ablaze by a mob in Pakistan over blasphemy allegations last Friday, local media reported on Sunday.
In Pakistan, mere allegations of blasphemy can trigger mob attacks. The country’s blasphemy law carries a possible death penalty.
The decision to hold the trial in the case inside the prison was taken after a meeting between the prosecution team and the provincial government.
“The prosecution has asked the jail administration to make the necessary arrangements to conduct the trial [inside jail], while the police have been directed to complete the necessary legal procedures and submit the completed challans to the court as soon as possible,” the Express Tribune newspaper reported.
Priyantha Kumara was assaulted by a mob of hundreds of people and was dragged into the street and set on fire last Friday in the Pakistani city of Sialkot where he helped run a sports equipment factory. Workers at the factory accused him of desecrating posters bearing the name of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Pakistani police have arrested dozens of people in connection with the violence, and Prime Minister Imran Khan has promised severe punishment for those found guilty.