COLOMBO: Sri Lankan cricketing great Arjuna Ranatunga has penned a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan in the wake of the horrific lynching of Priyantha Diyawadanage, a Sri Lankan national who was working at a factory in Sialkot.
“Let me start by commending you and your government for the diligent efforts to bring justice to the barbaric, violent crime committed against Priyantha Kumara Diyawadanage. As you have reiterated in the media over the past few days, such violent, vigilante behaviour should be condemned vigorously,” the legendary cricketer wrote.
Dear Hon. Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI,
Thank you for all your efforts in bringing justice for the crime committed against Priyantha Diyawadanage, and for the continued support and commitment toward his family.
Best Regards,
Your friend and colleague,
Arjuna pic.twitter.com/WwcvOWaIjK
— Arjuna Ranatunga (@ArjunaRanatunga) December 13, 2021
In the letter, Ranatunga, who has played cricket alongside PM Khan, has expressed the hope that the premier “will be able to teach the few misguided individuals within the Pakistani community to treat everyone with the same respect and dignity that all human beings deserve”.
He followed by saying that it is important for everyone to understand that the violent behaviour was demonstrated by “a small portion of the population” and that “a whole nation should not be judged on the actions of a few, especially considering the longstanding relationship between our two nations”.
The 1996 World Cup winning Sri Lankan captain said that the bond between the two countries has “always been one of strength and solidarity”.
“When Sri Lanka was once in despair, it was Pakistan that supported our soldiers, and in 1996, when other nations refused to come to Sri Lanka to partake in the Cricket World Cup due to the ongoing Civil War, Pakistan along with other Asian nations such as India stood by us and showed your support by coming to Sri Lanka with a collaborative Asian team,” he recalled.
In the end, Ranatunga said he would like to once again thank the premier for his “efforts in finding all the individuals guilty of committing this horrendous crime and bringing them to justice”.
The nation was shell-shocked and disgusted when a Sri Lankan national, Priyantha Kumara, was brutally lynched and his body set on fire by a mob in Sialkot earlier this month over blasphemy allegations.
The sickening incident outraged the nation as the civil and military leaders denounced it as “horrific”, “shameful” and “extra-judicial vigilantism”. Police have so far arrested over 120 suspects including the main accused for of their primary role in the Sialkot lynching tragedy.
