India demands justice from Pakistan after Sarabjit's death

Wants culprits punished, some demand independent probe

India today demanded justice from Pakistan after the death of Sarabjit Singh, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh saying it was "'particularly regrettable" that Pakistan did not listen to pleas to take a humanitarian view of the prisoner's case.

As an outraged government and political parties across the spectrum showed solidarity with 49-year-old Sarabjit's family, his sister Dalbir Kaur said he should be declared a martyr.

Prime Minister Singh said Pakistan should ensure that those who are responsible were punished. Hailing Sarabjit as a "brave son of India", he attacked Pakistan for not heeding to pleas for taking a humanitarian view on this issue after the attack by the jail inmates.

External Affairs Ministry demanded that Pakistan conduct a through probe into the incident to ensure that those who are responsible were punished.

BJP termed as a "cold blooded murder" the death of Sarabjit.

"It is a cold blooded murder. This is not the way civilised nations behave," BJP leader Sushma Swaraj wrote on microblogging site Twitter.

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said he was "extremely anguished".

Union Minister Manish Tewary said that what happened to Sarabjit was "extremely inhuman and barbaric" since India has been pressing with Pakistan to take a humanitarian view in his case.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal demanded an probe by an international agency into the circumstances leading to death of Sarabjit. Badal also criticised the Centre's approach in handling the matter.

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi accused governments of India and Pakistan of "misleading" people on the Sarabjit case. "Truth on this issue must come out," he tweeted.

"Centre is unable to give a strong answer to Pakistan's inhuman acts. Beheading of our soldiers & now Sarabjit's death are 2 recent examples," he said on Twitter.

BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad described Sarabjit's death as a "cruel murder" and accused the Government of being indifferent to his condition in a Pakistani jail.

"He was in Pakistani jail and the responsibility was of the Pakistan government to ensure his safety and security. But, I am pained at the indifference of the Government of India," Prasad, BJP's Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha, said.

Akali Dal leader Naresh Gujral said Pakistani authorities should be held directly responsible for the violation of human rights of a person.

"It is a contravention of international treaties and the government of India should have put more pressure on international human rights organisations," he said.

Gujral hoped that a credible investigation into the assault on Sarabjit in Kot Lakhpat jail of Pakistan would be carried out by people who enjoy international credibility.

"There are human rights activists like Asma Jehangir who enjoy that kind of credibility, and I do hope in the interest of Indo-Pak relations the Pakistan authorities would involve such people so that the truth comes out," Gujral said.

Kiran Bedi, country's first woman IPS officer and former Director General of Tihar Prisons, said India should approach Human Rights Council to investigate the assault on Sarabjit.

"It is a case of serious human rights violation. Sarabjit's death inside Pakistan prison was preventable. We need to find out if our Consulate in Lahore was regularly visiting him?" Bedi said.

Activist and CPI(ML) leader Kavita Krishnan said Sarabjit was a "victim of lethal mix of communalism and jingoism" that drives state policy in the subcontinent.

"I condemn Sarabjit's murder. It is heinous violation of human rights by Pak State. An international probe is a must. Protect Indians in Pakistan jails. Culture of extra judicial killings of prisoners anywhere must stop," she said.

AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal also condemned the incident. "Sarabjit's death leaves behind many questions," he said, adding this has shown that the government's priority was not the prisoner but to save corrupt people.