The widow of Sri Lankan national Priyantha Kumara, who was lynched by a mob in Sialkot for alleged blasphemy, has begun to receive financial assistance from the victim’s former employer, as well as a disbursement of $100,000 from the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI).
Rajco Industries has pledged to pay Kumara’s family his salary for the next ten years. Kumara was employed as General Manager Operations at the company’s garment factory in Sialkot.
“It is our responsibility to provide the affected family of the Sri Lankan citizen financial assistance,” said SCCI President Mian Imran Akbar, adding that appropriate measures were being developed to prevent similar incidents from occurring. He assured that the safety and security of foreign employees and businessman remained a top priority for the SCCI.
According to Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Dr, Shahbaz Gill, the amounts were transferred directly to Nilushi Dissanayaka, Kumara’s widow.
Funds of 100000 US $ and first salary of 1667 US Dollar committed by Rajco Industries for next 10 years and announced by Honourable Prime Minister of Pakistan has been transferred to the account of Widow of deceased Sri Lankan Manager Mr Priyanatha Khumara in Sri Lanka pic.twitter.com/vde6IeXJVY
— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) January 17, 2022
Priyantha Kumara was murdered by a mob of 800 men in November 2021, after rumors circulated that he had committed blasphemy by ripping a poster displaying an Islamic verse from a factory wall in Sialkot. He was found hiding from the mob on the roof of the factory, from where they dragged him onto the street and beat him. His corpse was then set on fire.
As videos of the incident circulated on social media, the case generated international and national outrage. Following the incident, a first investigation report (FIR) was registered against 900 people.
