Muhammad Sulaiman was lynched in Swat over ‘Blasphemy.’ Pakistan saw another incident of mob lynching, as a man was killed brutally. His body was set on fire over alleged blasphemy of Holy Quran.
As per the details, Swat Police lodged registered an FIR today. The family of the lynched man distances themselves from him and his alleged actions, as per media reports. The man killed in a gruesome incident turned out to be a resident of Sialkot. He was residing in hotel in Swat Valley’s Madyan town for last couple of days.
Swat police chief said several items were found in hotel room of the man which were perceived as blasphemous, leading to an altercation. The incident triggered local resident who assaulted him. When police personnel arrived at the scene, they took him into custody. Cops brought the accused to police station and attempted to file a report, but by then, hundreds of people had attacked the police station. The mob overpowered the police and lynched the man despite the police’s efforts to protect him.
Pakistan has faced similar mob lynching cases in the past as well. A mob attack on a Sri Lankan citizen resulted in killing of a company manager in Sialkot in 2021. However, the government’s response was timid as blasphemy cases are taken as of very serious nature in the country.
Swat Mob Lynching
After the incident, the mother of lynched man shared a clip, as she disassociates herself from her son, who reportedly lived all his life in Malaysia. The woman revealed that her son married in Pakistan but kept fighting with family members.
The man reportedly was engaged in physical assault of his brother. The family revealed her drug addiction while he also issued threats to siblings and mother. Initial reports claimed that the accused also divorced his wife some time back.
KP CM Statement
A statement posted by the PTI said KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur took notice of the “unfortunate” incident and contacted the provincial police chief on the matter.
Summoning a report, he ordered the police chief to take measures on an emergency basis to control the situation. Expressing regret over the incident, the chief minister appealed to the people to remain peaceful.
Investigation underway
According per the reports, an investigation is underway in this regard.
The mother of the alleged accused, Muhammad Sulaiman, son of Qamar Aziz, published a letter in the newspaper, according to the text of which the mother said that I have deprived my real son, Muhammad Sulaiman, son of Qamar Aziz, of all my property due to disobedience. Therefore, I have no relationship or connection with him and will not be responsible for any of his words, actions, or transactions.
His mother said in an issued video statement regarding Sulaiman that his father died 30 years ago; he was in Malaysia. When he came back, we got him married. He fought with us and then left one and a half years ago. Swat police also have a copy of the FIR registered at the Sialkot city police station in July 2022. In the FIR filed by the mother, it is claimed that Sulaiman attacked her brother and mother with an iron rod and the butt of a pistol.
The 2022 FIR also states that he was a drug addict and was threatening the family. The family also provided the police with a newspaper clipping containing an advertisement for a newspaper. In this advertisement, the mother expresses her detachment from him. In the video, she is heard saying that we are Ahle Sunnat. We are doing nothing wrong.
