Sarabjit was attacked by his fellow prisoners at Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore last week and was seriously injured. PHOTO: FILE
The Press Trust of India reported that the head of medical board in Jinnah Hospital had confirmed he had died. He put the time of death at 1am.
Sarabjit had been attacked by his fellow prisoners at Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore last week and was seriously injured.
He had been taken to Jinnah Hospital for treatment where he slipped into a coma and was kept on a ventilator. Dr Zafar Iqbal, head of Neurosurgery Department, Jinnah Hospital, was heading the panel of doctors treating Sarabjit.
Security around the hospital had been tightened immediately after news of his death spread.
The officials from the Jinnah hospital initially tried to prevent the news from leaking out but the doctors confirmed his demise.
Sarabjit's body has been shifted to a morgue and would be processed for a post-mortem. It is not immediately clear if and when his body will be sent to India.
In light of Sarabjit's worsening condition, India had earlier contacted Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pakistan to request consular access, which had been granted.
According to the prosecution, Sarabjit had illegally crossed into Pakistan from Kasur on August 29, 1990.
He was arrested on charges of conducting four bomb blasts in Faisalabad, Multan and Lahore. His counsel claimed it was a case of mistaken identity.
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what a brave act by pakistanis.................wow the whole world applauds you for your bravery
Spy for India, Terrorist for Pakistan. Get your words right Tribune!!
He was a terrorist . Why Pakistani media is calling him spy Have a look at this https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=326183607509756&set=vb.100003543592032&type=2&theater
It's a disgrace to pakistani government that Sarabjeet was attacked in a pakistani prison. No matter, who he was or what he did, he was entitled to basic human rights. He was charged and convicted according to the law, whether fair or unfair, hence should have been prosecuted with due process of the law. He was a 'high profile' convict and the occurrence of this incident was suppose to bring this media frenzy, particularly from indian media who dramatises even the smallest of small issues, and now us pakistanis have to bear the brunt of it. However, had the pakistani courts/ government acted swiftly to either release or hang him, we wouldn't have been facing this issue at all. I am sure there many more indians in our prisons and probably more pakistanis in indian prisons so both the countries need to learn a lesson form this incident particularly pakistan.
as an indian i will say thats its pakistans failure ...... he should be sentenced as per the judiciary........... this type of incidents will increase the hostility b/w two countries.....
Kasab was a pakistani .....he was kept in a special cell considering the threat ... so public reaction frm india is natural ....
This is the transition from Islamic Replublic of Pakistan to Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan. India shouldnt expect any thing better than this. Close the border forever and cut off all relation with this perishing country.
How Pakistan entrusted death on Sharabjit .Indirectly Pakistan proved themselves on their guilty remarks. Even critical situation occumplishes, internationally militants should be handover. On this Pakisthan got blames!
Name of Wagah Border be renamed after Sarabjit Singh Crossing. Just to remind both sides of what happened to him .
Pak will pay for this act !!
RIP Brave man
Shame on everyone who is happy at this gross mis handling of the situation. Whenever we become so inhuman so as to rejoice at the death of any one or thing, we cannot in all honesty claim to be even human , never mind followers of a religion that puts human life before all else
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un
At last something good to hear.
Whether justice was done or not with respect to his conviction has been debated by Pakistani human right activists as well, whether he was the real man to which the crime was attributed to! However, that aside, how he was treated and how he died is a sad commentary on the jail authorities and the state of Pakistan. Comparisons to Afzal Guru and Kasab are erroneous at best, because neither of them were treated as Sarabjit was in jail and neither was pronounced to die the way he was. That this could happen in one of the supposedly most secure jails in Pakistan speaks for itself, as to the complicity of the jail authorities who seem to believe in the Taliban style instant justice rather than the judicial process that they are supposed to uphold. Unfortunately, the way this has gone down would do the image of Pakistan no good in Indian public perception and would invariably be a setback to peace efforts. Once again, this has nothing to do with what he may (or may not) have actually done on the ground and been convicted of, but nobody can justify how the end came. The least a death row convict can hope for is dignity when the end comes!
With death of Sarabjit people of India and Pakistan lost a big opportunity to cross that elusive bridge of friendship. RIP!!!
Ah... Pakistani justice... So sweet... excuse me if I do not wish a taste of it.
I really wonder why it's always an Indian spy or the blasphemer who become the wrath of emotionally driven inmates. Even if he was a terrorist, judiciary was there to give the sentence, rather than some non-state actors taking 'the action' in their hands. RIP Sarbajit Singh
It is a failure on our part that we couldn't provide safety to such high profile prisoners. Sarabjeet was a proven terrorist. He should have been hanged as India did to Ajmal Kasab, however, leaving him prone to the other inmates' blows is nothing but a criminal nonsense. Our prison department has done nothing except arranging a barrage of criticism on Pakistan which is already alone in international media.
Sarabjit Singh is no more but the sincere efforts of the Family members to bring Sarabjit Singh back alive has been shattered .
Congrats for lawfully executing the man responsible for killing 35000 Pakistanis. Justice has been served in a single day to all families of those killed since 2001.
Those who are supporting this extrajudicial killing would be (a) silent if a Pakistani was killed in KSA jail (b) are indirectly supporter of extrajudicial killing by terrorists or some unknown agents.
Extrajudicial killing is extrajudicial killing regardless of nationality, crime, religion or creed. May be we are back in stone age where mob justice is acceptable. Civil society is weeping in silence.
Sounds like just the right time for inviting Pakistani cricket team for a few one dayers, Pakistani politicians for a trip to Ajmer Sharif, having a hockey series, inviting actors and singers to perform at Bollywood, having a symposium on peace, organizing a poet’s conference. Sing and dance at Wagah. Why so much drama for a broken human being dying alone. Such a nuisance.
Sarabjit, you are in a better place than where you spent the last 20 years and perhaps even your first 29 years. Adios.
He should have been given capital punishment swiftly just like Ajmal Kasab was ...
It is Failure of Pakistan to provide safety to prisoner under their custody AND allow some 'so called' other Prisoners to attack him - Seems Humanity has LOST its RELAVANCE in Pakistan.
@Asif Butt: "This is a sad day for Indo-Pak history."
It has less to do with Indo-pak history and more to do with what's pakistan today.
Sarbjit was problem for both govt.pak govt could not set him free. And indian govt did want tht he send to india bcz if pak govt did send him to india. Then they can ask to free pak prisoners.both govt find a way which could make both country men happy. Thats why indian govt ask to pak govt to do so.now he is no more. There is no headache for them. Its only loss for family not for anyone else. RIP Sarbjit
End of RAW's terrorist, little relief for the families of 14 victims who died in terror attacks
Dear Pakistanis
Your law and court ruled that this person,Sarabjit Singh, was accused of killing 12 Pakistanis and his punishment is death
Then you should have hanged him like India did for Ajmal Kasab or Afzal Guru...
Dont you think it would have been tough for Indian govt to just allow Kasab in open jail where other prisoners could have attacked him and close the case as "unfortunate incident"
This must be another incident where Pakistanis hit below the belt after the Kargil intrusion
Egos of India and Pakistan are responsible for his death.
He should had been release.
He was terrorist and should be hanged accordingly to laws of Pakistan..
Shame on Pakistan...
@Awais: of course u should ...we offered kasab's body... u refused it .....old habits remain ....first kargil and then kasab .......
@ k. Salim Jahangir, I mentioned the reasons in my another comment but I thing the Tribune's admin didnt like my reasons so that comment is not yet been posted.
@k. Salim Jahangir: Contrast with India's humane treatment of Khalil Chishty - released even though he was a murderer convicted of murdering a family
Pakistan should return the body. We should not do what Indians did to Afzal's body.
They need to show his body so we can make sure the terrorist is dead.
Wonderful... Another feather in Image of Paki.
Congrats to the nation.
Thats sad, we are not happy as our saint says "Dushman mare te khushi na kariye, sajaan vi mar jana" (Don't be happy on enemy's death, your friend will die as well.
@Vivek: Shame on India, who sends spies into pakistan to carry out bombings.
No doubt they are supporting TTP as well
ET, please do publish this comment
@Vivek......"Why shame on Pakistan?" Many Pakistani prisoners in Bharat died in captivity & nothing budged, not even regret by Bharat.Sarabjit admitted his guilt in any case!
This wouldn't have happened if the hanging in his case was as swift as the hangings in India. Anyways, the people who attacked him in jail should be on dead row now. Not much of a story after that...
Sarbjeet, a bitter lesson both for india and pakistan.
@Vivek: Shame on India for ruining someones life.
shame on india................and shame on Vivek............
Sound like another drama. His family came to see him, left mysteriously in a hurry. Probably took him along and now we are being told that he is dead. He will live in India with a new identity and all else will go to normal for him.
These sad events should make the people of India and Pakistan realize that the age-old rivalry has to end. I hope our coming generations don't have to hear such news.
he shouldnt have died like that...now Pakistan is gonna get scrutinized on all international forums for this
Another feather in the (skull)cap of the Land of the Pure.
Poetic justice. He should have been hung straight away.
Shame on Pakistan
I sincerely condemn this assault on him in the Jail. But as much as I condemn this assault in prison on him, I also condemn the delays in our judicial system. If he was sentenced after convicted, he should have been given the punishment long time ago. Justice delayed is justice denied.
Body will be handed over to india,Orders for Inquiry,Committee formed,Files closed.You did wrong may GOD bless you
Rest In Peace
This is a sad day for Indo-Pak history.
May GOD Almighty forgive him as he was doing duty for his country.
And may the 2 prisoners be sentenced to death , who gave this man a horrible ending.
I hope India does not derail the peace process
good riddance