Sialkot incident will have no adverse impact on ties: Sri Lankan HC

ISLAMABAD: The High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in Pakistan Mohan Vijay Vikrama on Monday said that Sialkot lynching would have no impact on the friendly relations between the two countries.

Talking to journalists after meeting a delegation of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led by party senior vice president Arshad Dad, which called on the high commissioner to condole with him over the gruesome murder of Sri Lankan citizen, he said that Pakistan and Sri Lanka are friends and will remain friends.

“I assure you that this incident will not affect our relations,” he added. He praised the Pakistani government’s support and thanked the Pakistani people for their sympathies and condolences, stating that the incident was unfortunate. Lauding the steps taken by the government of Pakistan, Vikrama said that a large number of people have been arrested since Friday, when the incident took place in Sialkot.

“I am sure that the government of Pakistan will take steps to ensure that the family of Priyanta Deyawanda Kumar gets justice. This is a murder. The Sri Lankan government is sure that it [the incident] has nothing to do with Pakistan and Sri Lanka. We have seen that Pakistan has taken immediate action,” he added.

“We don’t need to claim we’re friends; Pakistan and Sri Lanka have social, defence, and commerce ties, and this incident will not impact the existing relationship,” he said. He said that the remains of a 48-year old Sri Lankan citizen had been sent to Colombo. Dad apologised with the high commissioner on behalf of the party, saying it was unfortunate that religion was used in such an incident. He said that all out efforts would be made to bring the perpetrators involved in the gruesome murder of an innocent Sri Lankan citizen to justice.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021