Sarabjit's sister accuses Pakistan of back-stabbing India

Dalbir Kaur, sister of Indian death row prisoner Sarabjit Singh who died in Lahore Thursday following a brutal assault in a jail, accused Pakistan of backstabbing India and called for all political parties to come together and strengthen the government's hands.

She also alleged a prominent Pakistani human rights activist had demanded from her money to secure release of Sarabjit, and demanded all visas of visiting Pakistani activists be cancelled.

"Sarabjit gave up his life for the country. He was martyred for India," Dalbir Kaur told reporters here.

"The entire country should come together. I appeal to all parties to make stronger the hands of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde."

"They (Pakistan) back-stabbed (then prime minister) Atal Bihari Vajpayee first and now they backstabbed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. They have now attacked India's emotions by killing my brother. Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari killed my brother for victory in elections," she alleged.

"I will continue to fight for many other Indians languishing in Pakistan's jail," she said.

Dalbir Kaur said Shinde has assured her that the government was with the family in all matters and answers would be sought from Pakistan on a variety of issues.

"I left Pakistan as nurses and doctors used to laugh at me. They knew that you can ask about the health of a person only when he is alive and this person (Sarabjit) is dead," she said.

Dalbir Kaur, who along with Sarabjit's wife and daughters had gone to Pakistan after he was admitted to a Lahore hospital following a savage attack on him in a Lahore jail April 26, returned Wednesday.

Alleging that a prominent Pakistani human rights activist demanded Rs.25 crore to secure the release of her brother, she said: "He told me that give the money and take back your brother. I am a poor woman and did not have so much money to get him free. I am ashamed that I failed to bring back my brother."

She claimed that Sarabjit had written to her that Pakistani authorities had asked him to undergo training in terror camps. "I travelled in trains, buses and went from pillar to post to bring back Sarabjit, but I failed."

Sarabjit, who was admitted to a Lahore hospital April 26 after he was savagely attacked in jail, died early Thursday. He had suffered serious head injuries and was on ventilator support since then.

He was on a death row in Pakistan since 1990 following his conviction by Pakistani courts for bomb blasts in Lahore and Multan that left 14 people dead.