Mob Attack In Pakistan Leads To Lynching

On December 5th, a Sri Lankan man was lynched in Pakistan after being accused of blasphemy. He was tortured and burned, demonstrating the rising threat of crowd violence and raising concern for blasphemy accusations in the future. In Pakistan, a country that is majority Muslim, blasphemy is a serious crime that can carry a death sentence. However, the violence was condemned by human rights activists, politicians, and leaders across the country and around the world. 

The lynching in Pakistan received international attention and condemnation about the work of “religious extremists.” According to Reuters, politicians in Pakistan condemned the violence but suggested that it was understandable why the mobs feel impunity, considering the religious motivation behind the attack. The family of Priyantha Kumara Diyawadana, the Sri Lankan man, has been mourning for their loss and called for a response and for those responsible to be held accountable. However, according to Al Jazeera, politicians in both Pakistan and Sri Lanka were hesitant to condemn the violence because of diplomatic issues, and, hypothetically, because of the underlying religious nature of the attack. 

Lynching and mob violence directly threatens peace. Religious motivation, especially in countries dominated by one religion, makes condemning violence correlated to religious ideas difficult. In the case of Priyantha Kumara Diyawadana, who was accused of blasphemy, a serious accusation within the Islam faith, some people and leaders find the violence abhorrent but necessary. This response should not be tolerated because any form of violence, including violence motivated by ideology, threatens peace and stability for all involved and all who share those beliefs. The Pakistan government has stated that the violence is unacceptable, but the lack of action against the mob suggests that this kind of violence, targeted at someone accused of breaking an important doctrine in Islam, is less serious. Governments should hold those responsible for violence and murder accountable even if it means making a statement about extremism in beliefs. 

Violence from religious extremists is not a new concept and it is not unique to those of the Islam faith. Belief in any form can lead to violent actions against those who do not share that ideology or who act against those beliefs. Pakistan is a majority-Muslim country, so there are strong, united beliefs against those who are blasphemous of the faith. However, religious beliefs are never an excuse for targeted violence. 

Priyantha Kumara Diyawadana was lynched by a mob in Pakistan after being accused of blasphemy, a crime taken very seriously among Muslims. This violent response led to many politicians and leaders speaking out against the lynching, but little response to actually hold those responsible accountable and to prevent future instances of violence. Without a proper response, lynching and crowd violence could become more prevalent, especially when religious motivation makes mobs act with impunity. The Pakistan government needs to condemn the lynching and take steps to hold the crowd responsible in order to prevent future instances of violence.  

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