HOSHIARPUR, Aug 16: Eleven Indian prisoners languishing in Central Jail, Kot Lakhpat, Lahore (Pakistan) have have requested both Indian and Pakistan governments to ‘shoot’ them as a way to escape from their present wretched incarceration.
The joint letter written in Hindi script was released to media groups of Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and other states of the country.
The letter has been signed by prisoners Kirpal Singh, son of Dass Singh, Kuldip Singh, son of Chanda Singh, Dharam Singh, son of Hakim Singh, Mohmad Farid, son of Niamat Ali, Tilak Raj, son of Ram Chand, Makbool Loke, son of Mohd Ali, Abdul Majid, son of Abdul Qadir, Sambhu Nath, son of Kazan Chand, Suraja Ram, son of Tikka Ram, Mohinder Singh, son of Khush Lal Singh and Punvasi, son of Kanhiya Lal.
A copy of the letter was also sent to Avinash Rai Khanna, a Rajya Sabha member, seeking that the officials accede to their request to relieve them from their sorrowful existence.
The letter mentioned that 21 Indian prisoners, including four women, who had become mentally deranged due to excessive torture, were also behind bars in Central Jail of Kot Lakhpat, Lahore.
Displaying a xerox copy of the letter, Mr Khanna told media persons that the letter blamed members of Joint Judicial Commission of India and Pakistan and officials of the Indian High Commission in Pakistan for their ‘negative attitude’ due to which they had completely lost faith in them.
In the letter they urged that none of the members of these organisations should visit the jail to know their well being in future.
Stating that he would raise the issue in the Rajya Sabha to pressurise the Indian government to take up the matter with its Pakistani counterpart through international human rights authorities to secure the release at the earliest of those prisoners who had completed the period of their imprisonment.
Replying to a question, Mr Khanna said that according to official sources there were about 200 Indian prisoners who were languishing in Pakistani jails whereas unofficial sources put their numbers at more than 800.
He said there was a complete failure of the UPA government in protecting the internal and external security of the country holding Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo, former Home Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, as ‘fully responsible’ for the communal disturbance there.
(UNI)
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