On April 18th, 2022, an anti-terrorism court in Lahore sentenced six men to death for a mob lynching of a Sri Lankan factory manager in Pakistan. The victim was a 48-year-old man named Priyantha Diyawadanage. Diyawadanage worked as a factory manager in a sports equipment factory in Sialkot. Over 89 individuals were tried in connection with the allegedly religiously motivated mob-lynching of Diyawadanage, and 72 were given 2-year sentences.

Statements issued by the police assistant commissioner, Mohammed Murtaza, provide context to the heinous crime. Assistant commissioner Murtaza stated that: “Due to the renovation of the factory building, some posters were taken off from the wall. They may have desecrated posters bearing the name of the prophet Muhammad. Maybe the manager was lynched because of that.” Murtaza additionally stated that: “Unfortunately, I can’t affirm or deny anything at the moment. The alibi used for murder is blasphemy, but the cause of murder appears personal and targeted. The issue is being investigated.”

Imran Khan, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, stated that he would supervise the investigation of what he called “the horrible vigilante attack” that created a “day of shame for Pakistan.” Prime Minister Khan additionally stated that “all those involved will be punished with the full severity of the law.”

Watchdog associations such as Amnesty International expressed their concern about the trend of lynching and vigilante violence in Pakistan. Amnesty International stated that it was “deeply alarmed by the disturbing lynching and killing of a Sri Lankan factory manager in Sialkot, allegedly due to a blasphemy accusation.”

While the actions of the individuals involved in the murder of Priyantha Diyawadanage are absolutely reprehensible, the death penalty should never be utilized. Instead of providing restorative justice or enacting meaningful change, the death penalty only perpetuates the cycle of violence. However, the judicial and policing systems in Pakistan should be commended for their thorough investigation and trial procedures in a case that involved dozens of assailants. 

The murder of Priyantha Diyawadanage is one case in a long, highly troubling trend of blasphemy laws and accusations being weaponized against religious minorities to address personal grievances. Additionally, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a far-right extremist political party in Pakistan, has been accused of encouraging and spreading violence across the region. Hussain Haqqani, a former US ambassador, stated that: “The rise of the TLP has normalized murder over blasphemy allegations. What were once random incidents are now becoming an epidemic.” According to Al Jazeera, at least 82 people were murdered over alleged blasphemy in Pakistan.

The use of the death penalty is inhumane, and the Pakistani government should ratify the proposed trade agreement with the EU that would ban the usage of the death penalty in Pakistan. Utilizing the death penalty as a judicial punishment only normalizes the perpetual use of violence by the government and civilians alike. As blasphemy is considered a crime punishable by the death penalty in Pakistan, removing the death penalty would also lower the chances of vigilante-inspired murders. Additionally, the Pakistani government should publicly condemn the violent actions of political organizations such as the TLP. Without comprehensive and hardline action by the Pakistani government, religiously motivated violence will continue to spread.