“No individual or group has the right to kill or harm another over accusations of blasphemy,” said religious scholars and clerics at Youm-i-Muzammat meetings held across the country on Friday .

Religious scholars and clerics had gathered to observe a day of condemnation against the brutal lynching and killing of Sri Lankan factory manager Priyantha Kumara over blasphemy allegations in Sialkot.

Dawn.com reported that religious scholars in mosques all over the country condemned Kumara’s murder during the Friday congregations and said that the country has blasphemy law, in case of any complaint the court should be moved. Individuals mustn’t take the law in their own hands.

The Sialkot incident brought disgrace to Islam and Pakistan, they added.

The leadership urged authorities to expedite trials on blasphemy cases and stated that delay in these proceedings cause doubts and give anti-Pakistan elements a chance to promote propaganda.

Prime Minister Imran Khan’s announcement to punish the culprits of Sialkot incident was also welcomed by clerics all over the country.

According to Dawn.com, special assistant to the prime minister Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi stated that an awareness campaign would be launched in the country about blasphemy laws so incidents such as the Sialkot murder can be prevented in the future.

“Those who use the name of Islam and Namose-e- Mustafa (Peace Be Upon Him) for their own purposes are also criminals. The nation has to back the security institutions of the country, government and Pakistan Army for eradication of extremism as it had remained united to defeat the menace of terrorism in the country,” he said.

The All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulema of Sri Lanka appreciated and thanked the religious scholars in Pakistan for condemning the murder of Kumara in a letter to Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council, reported the News.

“We All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulema of Sri Lanka (Council of Islamic Religious scholars in Sri Lanka) appreciate your good self, the ulema and all religious scholars of Pakistan for condemning the inhuman murder of our fellow Sri Lankan manager Priyantha Kumara in Sialkot,” the letter said.

Sri Lankan religious scholars clarified in the letter that this act is against the teachings of Islam.