NEW DELHI: India today said the “regrettable” incident of attack on a Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah Ranjay in a jail in Jammu was being investigated and the guilty would be punished.
“In view of the tragic events that include the killing of two Indian prisoners in Pakistani jails and the incident involving a Pakistani prisoner in a jail in Jammu today there was a need to take stock of the current measures in place to ensure the safety, security and humane treatment of Indian and Pakistani prisoners in each others’ jails,” Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said.
The Pakistan High Commission has expressed concern over the incident and demanded consular access to the prisoner.
The attack comes just a day after the body of Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh, who succumbed to his injuries sustained in an attack in a Lahore jail on Friday last, was brought back to India.
Mr Akbaruddin said an advisory had been issued to strengthen security for Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails.
Safety and security of prisoners in custody lies with the jail authorities and necessary action was being taken, he said.
“We are in touch with the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi on the matter. The injured is receiving medical treatment and once the medical arrangements are in place consular access will be provided,” he said.
Pointing out that there were 535 Indian prisoners (including 483 fishermen) in Pakistani jails and a total of 272 Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails, the Spokesperson said the joint Judicial Committee of the two countries, which had been requested to visit jails in Pakistan, had made some recommendations.
“For this, we are proposing a meeting of the authorities concerned of both countries to study the recommendations and identify and put in place further measures to avoid such tragic incidents in future,” he said.
The Pakistan High Commission has meanwhile, demanded that their
prisoner in Jammu jail be provided top medical facilities, and security of their other prisoners should be ensured. It urged Indian authorities to bring the perpetrators of the attack to justice.
Reports from Jammu said the Pakistani prisoner, in Kot Bhalwal jail since 1999 in a case related to militancy, had received severe injuries and he had been admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) ward of the Government hospital where his condition was stated to be serious. (AGENCIES)
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