The nation on Thursday woke up with news of sad demise of Sarabjit Singh, an Indian convict in Pakistan. He fell into a coma and died at 01:00 on Thursday morning (20:00 Wednesday GMT) in Lahore's Jinnah hospital. Prime Minister Office (PMO) in Twitter said the perpetrators should be brought to justice for the "barbaric" attack. The news of his death was declared by medical officials and his lawyer said.
 |
| Sarabjit Singh's family with his photo |
Six days back on Friday Sarabjit Singh was brutally attacked in Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore by six prisoners with bricks, sharp metal sheets, iron rods and blades. Following the attack Sarabjit was in comma and admitted to the Jinnah hospital with severe head injuries in a critical condition. He was in a coma, with a broken backbone and was kept on a ventilator with minimum chances of survival as per inputs of doctors. Sarabjit's family comprised of his sister and two daughters visited him at the hospital who had complained about negligence of doctors after coming back to India.
The brutal attack leading to death of Sarabjit has spread shock-waves across the country. Since 1990 Sarabjit was in Pakistani Jail as he was convicted as Manjit Singh for alleged involvement in the 1990 serial bomb blasts at Lahore and Faisalabad that killed 14 people. He was sentenced to death in 1991 by Pakistan court, but his hanging had been repeatedly postponed for past 23 years. Although Sarabjit claimed that he was a farmer and a victim of mistaken identity, who strayed into Pakistan from his village situated on Indo-Pak border but his side of story was never accepted by Pakistan.
His family had always insisted Singh was innocent and had strayed into Pakistan by mistake when he was arrested. But his mercy petitions were rejected five times by Pakistani courts and former President Pervez Musharraf. Even Indian government has told Pakistan that Sarabjit is a victim of mistaken identity.
In a tweet, Manmohan Singh's office wrote: "Particularly regrettable that the Govt of Pakistan did not heed the pleas.... to take a humanitarian view of this case". Sarabjit Singh's lawyer Owais Sheikh earlier said his client's death was "feared", "His condition was more than critical and he had less chances of survival," the doctor added. Two inmates were charged with attempted murder and two officials suspended.
With death hopes shattered for Sarabjit's family members, who were expecting his release some day. Sarabjit's death and conviction for 23 long years raises question mark over diplomacy between India and Pakistan. Is death of Sarajbjit Singh an example of diplomacy failure between two rival neighbours? The governments of both the countries must take such cases seriously unless innocent citizens may lose their valuable lives in their negligent approach. Most importantly, the issue risks stirring fresh tensions in relations of India and Pakistan.
