Protest against Sialkot incident

LAHORE: Members of civil society, teachers, students and journalists on Saturday gathered at Liberty roundabout to protest against mob lynching of a Sri Lankan national in Sialkot.

Citizens and representatives from the Joint Action Committee for People’s Rights (JAC), HRCP, WISE, Haqooq-e-Khalq Movement (HKM), Centre for Social Justice, Progressive Students Collective, Aurat March, Women Action Forum, Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee (PKRC) and other human rights movements participated in the demonstration. Participants held placards and chanted slogans to condemn the rising tide of extremism in Pakistan. “Terrorism in the name of religion is unacceptable,” the participants said in one of their slogans to express solidarity with the family of the Sri Lankan national. The symbolic demonstration showed how morally repugnant and horrifying people found the act of lynching. Women and children in the demonstration carried placards with them inscribed with words ‘Sorry Sri Lanka’ to express their anguish at the brutal killing. The torture, killing and burning of the body was all filmed, goes to say the level of dehumanization in society.

Protests were held across Punjab by the members of civil society in all districts against the horrifying act.