Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Six sentenced to death in Pakistan for 'blasphemy' killing of Sri Lankan man

Six sentenced to death in Pakistan for 'blasphemy' killing of Sri Lankan man

A PAKISTAN court Monday (18) sentenced six men to death and dozens more to jail for the brutal mob slaying of a Sri Lankan factory manager accused of blasphemy.

The vigilante attack in Sialkot last December 3 caused outrage, with then prime minister Imran Khan calling it a "day of shame for Pakistan".

Few issues are as galvanising in Pakistan as blasphemy, and even the slightest suggestion of an insult to Islam can supercharge protests and incite lynchings.

On Monday, prosecutors said 88 of 89 people on trial for the murder of Priyantha Diyawadana had been convicted, with six sentenced to death, nine to life in prison and the rest jail terms ranging from two to five years.

"The prosecution team worked very hard to present its case to the court and to reach this judgement," Abdul Rauf Wattoo, the lead public prosecutor, said.

"We are satisfied with the outcome."

The trial was overseen by a special anti-terror court, established to speed up justice in high profile cases that can otherwise spend years being processed.

At the time of the killing, local police officials said rumours spread that Diyawadana had torn down a religious poster and thrown it into the dustbin.

Several gruesome video clips shared on social media showed a mob beating the prone victim while chanting slogans against blasphemy.

Other clips showed Diyawadana's body set ablaze.

Many in the mob made no attempt to hide their identity and some took selfies in front of the burning corpse.

Hafiz Israr ul Haq, the lawyer for one of the men sentenced to death, called the verdict "unfair".

"This was a case of mob violence and in such cases, no individual's role can be ascertained with certainty," he said.

Rights groups say accusations of blasphemy can often be wielded to settle personal vendettas, with minorities largely the target.

In April 2017, an angry mob lynched university student Mashal Khan when he was accused of posting blasphemous content online.

A Christian couple was lynched and their remains burnt in a kiln in Punjab in 2014 after being falsely accused of desecrating the Koran.

(AFP)

More For You

modi-trump-getty

Donald Trump and Narendra Modi hold a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House on February 13, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Explained: Impact of US tariffs on Indian exports

The United States has announced a 27 per cent reciprocal tariff on Indian goods entering the American market.

Industry experts have said these duties will pose challenges for Indian exports, though India's position remains more favourable than some of its competitors.

Keep ReadingShow less
Asian drug dealer known as 'starkcake' jailed for 18 years

Heemal Vaid (Photo: NCA)

Asian drug dealer known as 'starkcake' jailed for 18 years

A 49-year-old Asian drug dealer who masterminded the import and sale of cocaine and heroin worth more than £4 million has been jailed for 18 years, after National Crime Agency (NCA) investigators identified him from secret phone messages.

British Indian Heemal Vaid, of Cheam, used EncroChat – an encrypted phone service for criminals – to broker deals, unaware that in 2020, an international law enforcement team would crack EncroChat’s encryption.

Keep ReadingShow less
Metropolitan Police

The Met said it would not be making redundancies but would achieve savings by reducing recruitment and not replacing those who leave.

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Met Police to cut 1,700 jobs amid £260m budget shortfall

THE METROPOLITAN POLICE has announced plans to cut 1,700 officers, PCSOs, and staff due to a £260 million budget deficit.

The force will also scale back several services, including the removal of the Royal Parks Police team and officers stationed in schools.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump

Trump announced a series of tariff increases targeting various nations, including key US allies such as the UK and the European Union.

Getty Images

Trump’s tariffs hit global markets, Starmer warns of 'economic impact'

The UK and other global economies reacted on Thursday to US president Donald Trump's newly imposed tariffs, with prime minister Keir Starmer warning of an “economic impact” from the 10 per cent levy on British exports.

Trump announced a series of tariff increases targeting various nations, including key US allies such as the UK and the European Union.

Keep ReadingShow less
India told to prepare for deadly rise in temperatures

The country can expect more heatwave days this year

India told to prepare for deadly rise in temperatures

INDIA can expect hotter-thanusual temperatures this summer with more heatwave days taking a toll on lives and livelihoods, the weather office warned.

The country is no stranger to scorching summers, but years of scientific research has found climate change is causing heatwaves to become longer, more frequent and more intense.

Keep ReadingShow less