The jail department has directed all Superintendents of Central Jails of Punjab to shift all the Pakistani prisoners to the side barracks. PHOTO: AFP/ FILE
CHANDIGARH: Apprehending a backlash following the death of Sarabjit Singh, 57 Pakistani prisoners, including two women, lodged in jails of north Indian state Punjab were segregated from other prisoners and security was beefed up, the Press Trust of India reported on Sunday.
The decision comes within days of Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah Haq being beaten up in a Jammu jail. Sanaullah, who was flown to Chandigarh for treatment, is in a critical condition.
All the Pakistani prisoners are to be shifted to the side barracks on the directions of jail department, given to all Superintendents of Central Jails of Punjab, to prevent the Indian prisoners from interacting with them, officials said.
The security of all the Pakistani prisoners languishing in Punjab jails has been tightened and as a precautionary measure they are not being allowed to move out of their barracks, Jail Minister of north Indian state Punjab Sarwan Singh Phillaur said while expressing concern over the attack on a Pakistani prisoner in jail in north Indian town Jammu.
The Jail authorities have been told that the Pakistani prisoners would not be allowed to come out from their barracks till further orders. Normally, they are allowed to move in jail compound from 10 AM to 2 PM (local time).
Jail officials have also been asked to check the food which is given to these prisoners. Only jails officials are allowed to provide them with food in their barracks, the sources said.
The security of Pakistani prisoners in Punjab jails has been stepped up following the death of Sarabjit Singh, early on May 2, the official said.
Singh failed to recover from injuries he sustained when he was attacked by six inmates in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail.
As many as 57 Pakistani prisoners, including two women, are lodged in Punjab's five jails.
Amritsar Jail has 38 prisoners, while Ferozepur has eight, Ludhiana - two (women), Kapurthala - two, Patiala - three and Nabha has four prisoners.
The high security Patiala Central Jail has three conspirators of hijacking of an Indian Airlines plane at Kandahar in 1999 -- Abdul Latif, Dalip Kumar and Yusuf Nepali -- who are lodged there since their arrest about twelve years ago.
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@aslam @kadar khan (abdul kadar khan) Afzal guru was indian and his hanging was not related to pakistan ever.
But if, the pakistanis think that all terrorists are their own citizen, their own property then let it be.
A mob never thinks. Both the governments should have thought this over before illtreating their 'spy' inmates. All said and done these inmates from other countries are their guests. They should be safe guarded first .else it will affect diplomatic relations. The countries should be aware of this . I am not able to understand why after 2 decades suddenly Pak 'illtreated' Sarabhjit. I mean he was with them for sooo long so why did they illtreat him now . Why not 2 decades back. Was it really 'killing ' by the state or some stupid brawl with other inmates who didnt know and didnt care who he was .
@Abdul Rahman Khan: don't compare Afsal guru with Ajmal kasab, Afsal guru was an Indian citizen.
@Abdul Rahman Khan: ” The way sarbijit singh,s funeral was carried out with full military honours attended by indian dignataries proves he was a senior indian military officer sent (or he himself volunteered) on the mission in pakistan.” . Apparently you do not read. Sarabjit was buried with full state honors by the state of Punjab. Not military honors.
"Pak may do likewise" Ha ha ...only a civilized country does. No expectations!!!
" The way sarbijit singh,s funeral was carried out with full military honours attended by indian dignataries proves he was a senior indian military officer sent (or he himself volunteered) on the mission in pakistan." That is just because the politicians want to get sympathy votes .
@Abdul Rahman Khan: " ... After the executions of Ajman Kassab and Afzal Guru in indian prison, the government should have carried out the sentence. ... "
Your Government knew that Sarabjit was framed. That is why the sentence was not carried out.
@Punjabi: "Here it’ll be.. The Hindus, The Muslims"
Perhaps you did not read correctly. IT is not Muslims prisoners who have been separated from Hindu prisoners, it is Pakistani prisoners who have been separated from Indian prisoners. India has any many Muslims as Pakistan and within the Indian prisoners there will be Hindus , Muslims, Sikhs, athiests, Christians and so son. No one is thinking of separating thiose.
Who will be responsible if this guy dies in the indian prison? Whosoever was the President of Pakistan, be it Mr. Farooq Leghari, Rafiq Tarar, general Musaharraf or Mr. Zardari, following the pronouncement of death sentence of sarbajit singh by supreme court more than a decade ago, will be responsible for his death. Why his mercy petition was kept pending and the execution of the sentence was not carried out. After the executions of Ajman Kassab and Afzal Guru in indian prison, the government should have carried out the sentence. The way sarbijit singh,s funeral was carried out with full military honours attended by indian dignataries proves he was a senior indian military officer sent (or he himself volunteered) on the mission in pakistan.
A wise move. Pak may do likewise, if only to reciprocate. Pakistan may have to improve its justice system as well so that people have faith in its system. Any body suspecting of collaborating (or spying) for a foreign country gets a quick conviction, whereas others such as killers of Sri Lankan Cricket team, with video footage, are roaming the streets.
Like shown in american prison shows... The Whites, The Blacks, The Italians, The Russians & the neutral ones... Here it'll be.. The Hindus, The Muslims
get ready for the Gang wars
This is the right thing to do. YEs. What Pakistan did to Sarabjit was wrong. Prisoners have rights to and should not be bludgeoned to death. Bu then what happened in Jammu was wrong as well. Two wrongs do no make a right. It is good thing that Indian government did not deny consular acess the Pakistani citizen as Pakistan did.
This comes as no surprise. Negligence of Kot Lakhpat Jail authorities has resulted in near death of a Pakistani inmate in India and further threatens lives of inmates currently in each others jails. Why doesn't Pakistan control people working in its institutions??? If they can't then one day we will have an incident that leads us to conflict and severe hardships.