Lahore anti-terrorism court has indicted 89 people in connection with the murder of a Sri Lankan national
A Lahore anti-terrorism court has indicted 89 accused in the case of factory manager Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan national, who was brutally killed by rioters in the Punjab city of Sialkot.
The court was told that copies of the challan had been distributed to 89 accused and 40 witnesses had been made part of the challan by the prosecution.
The challan also includes video and digital evidence of the incident and DNA evidence, circumstantial evidence and forensic evidence have also been made part of the challan.
The challan states that CCTV footage was sent to Franz and the suspects were arrested with the help of mobile footage.
The telephones of more than two suspects have been recovered and the court has been asked to punish the culprits unforgivably and punish them severely.
The court indicted all 89 defendants, but the defendants pleaded not guilty.
The court then summoned 14 more prosecution witnesses on March 16 and adjourned further fires.
It may be recalled that Priyantha Kumara had violently killed a mob in Sialkot on December 3 last year for blasphemy and burnt her body.
The country’s political and military leadership, religious parties, civil society, the Pakistan Human Rights Commission and Amnesty International have condemned the attack and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. .
The meeting of Army House Commanders also pledged that no tolerance would be shown against those responsible for incidents like Sialkot and that tough action would be taken against those responsible for such incidents to defeat extremism in the country. .
Prime Minister Imran Khan also told a condolence meeting in memory of Priyantha Kumara that his government would not tolerate violence and oppression in the name of religion and such people would not escape the rule of law.
In Pakistan, blasphemy is punishable by death under the blasphemy law. According to a report by the Center for Social Justice, at least 1,472 people were indicted for blasphemy in Pakistan between 1987 and 2016.
The report says that although no one has been sentenced to death, at least 17 such offenders are awaiting the death penalty and some are serving life sentences.
According to reports, Pakistan’s blasphemy law is often used against religious minorities for personal or financial gain, and since 1990, 77 such criminals have been killed by rioters, including former Punjab chiefs. Governor Salman Taseer and a minority minister, Shahbaz Bhatti.
Both Salman Taseer and Shahbaz Bhatti had raised their voices to stop the misuse of this law and to look into it.
In addition, a number of lawyers have been killed by extremists while trying to represent the culprits in the crime, and judges hearing such cases have been forced to flee the country due to threats. Is
