Sri Lankan Minister for Public Security Rear Admiral (Retd) Sarath Weerasekara has asked Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Pervaiz Khattak, to issue an apology for his recent statement wherein he blamed ‘emotions of youngsters’ for the lynching of Sri Lankan national Priyantha Kumara in Sialkot at the hands of a mob for alleged blasphemy.
On Sunday, while talking to the media, defence minister said that emotions and anger among young people led to the killing of the Sri Lankan national, and it was not a big deal. The minister added that young people are often unable to control their sentiments which leads to fights and even ‘murder’. He confessed that he too was very emotional when he was youthful and would have done anything in the name of religion.
The statement by the minister generated strong criticism from people on social media. Pakistan Peoples part Senator Sherry Rehman while criticising the minister’s statement said, “I’m sorry, what is the Defense Minister saying? That kids got emotional, they’re only young hotheads? This happens?”.
I’m sorry, what is the Defense Minister saying ? That kids got emotional, they’re only young hotheads? This happens ??!!! #Sialkot pic.twitter.com/lAFD5mFNnc
— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) December 5, 2021
Earlier, on Friday, a mob in Sialkot brutally murdered a Sri Lankan man and set his body on fire over blasphemy allegations. Priyantha Kumara, the export manager of a private factory, was attacked by workers of the factory on Wazirabad road in Sialkot.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Khan pledged that his government would not tolerate mob violence in the name of religion or spare those responsible for it.
