Death, like the proverbial ‘Sword of Democles’ was hanging
over him for a prolonged period of 22 years. In spite of the earnest appeals of
both, Indian and Pakistan human rights activists to have mercy on a human being
who was languishing in a condemned cell at Kot Lakh Pat prison in Pakistan
unfortunately went in vain. Despite the daily prayers to God Almighty by, his
beloved sister Dalbir Kaur, wife Sukhbir Kaur, daughters Poonam and Swapandeep
whose hopeful and anxious wait, everything went infructuous. Their repeated appeals
with folded palms to the Pakistani ruling ruling establishment had no takers.
That Sarabjit’s tortuous and unending wait, be it for some mercy from the side
of Pakistani rulers or an early ending to the trauma by blessing him with ‘salvation’,
his agonizing wait was finally solved by two Pakistani prison inmates whose
dastardly attacks on him with iron rods, bricks and sharpened weapons resulted
in the rupture of his skull led to him getting admitted to the Jinnah Hospital
at Lahore, Pakistan where he fell into a coma or even before being admitted to
the hospital has resulted on an expected end.
Ever since Afzal Guru being led to the gallows, the fate of
Sarabjit Singh was almost sealed. Even otherwise the sword of Democles was
hanging over him. If the earnest appeals of Indian and Pakistani human rights
activists who were hoping against hopes had no takers in the Pakistani ruling
establishment. Justice Markandeya Katju, Press Council of India Chairman and
V.R.Krishna Iyer the former Supreme Court advocate including others tried their
level best by appealing to Asif Ali Sardari, Pakistan President repeatedly fell
on deaf ears.
From a country like Pakistan which is in the throes of
internal strife and conflicts, which is the hotbed of terrorism, it was our
fault to have expected a generous gesture by the ruling establishment of
Pakistan where the army, the ruling establishment and terrorist outfits are
pulling in opposite directions.
If one is led to believe that the attack on Sarabjit Singh
had the overt or covert support of Pakistan’s Intelligence and others’
connivance, he/she need not be blamed.
A few months ago another Indian death row convict Chamel
Singh was fatally attacked inside the jail premises, by a few Pakistani
death-row convicts which is a true pointer to the sense of insecurity being
undergone by other Indian convicts. Without the jail authorities not being
aware of the planned attacks on Indian prisoners, how come the Pakistani
convicts inflict brutal attacks on Chamel Singh and Sarabjit Singh which was
pre-planned and pre-meditated by the Pakistani death-row convicts who nurse blind
anti-India sentimentl, on going thru the arrangements and precautions they had
taken. Sarabjit’s tragic end underlines the sad fact that Indians in Pakistan
are a helpless lot, be they Indian High Commission officials, journalists or
for that matter anyone who nurtures a pro-India sentiment.
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