Pakistan minister defends mob lynching, says 'even murders take place' when youth get emotional

Islamabad: The ghastly mob lynching of the Sri Lankan man should not be linked to the lifting of the ban on Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), said Pakistan defence minister Pervez Khattak. Khattak suggested that the ghastly mob lynching of a Sri Lankan man in Sialkot should not be linked to the Pakistan government’s decision to lift the ban on TLP. He further said that even “murders take place” when young people get emotional, reported Dawn. The said remarks are following a countrywide rage over mob lynching of Sri Lankan factory manager Priyantha Kumara over blasphemy allegations. The mob on Friday, after killing him burnt his body. Social media users linked TLP with the gruesome mob lynching, however, the group distanced itself from the lynching and condemned it, reported Dawn. Khattak while answering a question by a reporter during a media talk in Peshawar on Sunday, said, “You know the reasons [behind this incident] too. When children … grow up, they become spirited and do things out of emotions. This does not mean ’this was the result of that action’,” he stressed, saying in Sialkot too some young men had gathered and accused Kumara of disrespecting Islam, which led to the “sudden” lynching, reported Dawn. He said that even he could do something wrong in a state of heightened emotions, and such incidents did not mean “Pakistan is going towards destruction,” reported Dawn. Khattak reiterated that boys entering adulthood are “ready to do anything” and learn with age how to control their emotions. “So this happens among kids, fights take place and even murders. [Does] this mean it is the government’s fault?” Shifting the blame on media the minister continued, “Why don’t you change this mindset? Your anchors should come on TV and make the children understand their religion. You only take advertisements and earn money,” reported Dawn.