Sarabjit Singh, currently on death row in a lahore jail, was on Friday seriously injured and rushed to a hospital for an emergency surgery after being attacked by two prisoners. He was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of the State-run Jinnah Hospital on Friday evening.
The attack occurred when Singh and other prisoners were brought out of their cells for an hour-long break.
Two prisoners assaulted Sarabjit with blunt objects and he sustained a severe head injury. The prime suspect, death row prisoner Amer Aftab, had a tiff with Sarabjit a few days ago but authorities at Kot lakhpat Jail did not bother to take notice of the incident, sources said.
Sarabjit was initially taken to the prison hospital but as his condition worsened, he was shifted to Jinnah Hospital. “Singh suffered a serious head injury and we are going to operate on him to save his life,” a senior doctor said.
Sarabjit’s lawyer, Awais Sheikh, claimed that Sarabjit had spoken of a threat to his life from a fellow prisoner after Afzal Guru’s execution but Pakistani authorities failed to provide him security.
The superintendent and assistant superintendent of Kot lakhpat Jail and personnel deputed to guard Sarabjit were suspended after the incident.
Foreign Office spokesman Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said the Foreign Office was examining a request from the Indian High Commission seeking consular access to Sarabjit.
Meanwhile, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said in Kazakhstan, where he is accompanying External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on a visit, that India has sought consular access.
“India has contacted Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pakistan for ascertaining the facts. Two officers have been sent to lahore for consular access and we are awaiting response. We are in touch with the Foreign Ministry and the Presidency,” Akbaruddin said.