Foul revenge

What happened to the Pakistani prisoner in a Jammu Jail must be avoided.

The death of Sarabjit Singh, attacked by inmates at the Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore, has been followed by a terrible act of vengeance just a day later. At a Jammu jail, Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah Haq, on May 3, suffered severe head injuries after being attacked by prisoners apparently infuriated by the fate of Sarabjit. Sanaullah is being treated in a hospital in Chandigarh, where he was moved due to the severity of his injuries. The Pakistan Foreign Ministry, who summoned the Deputy High Commissioner, has demanded he be returned home immediately.

Here, of course, we see the worst possible example of an ‘eye for an eye’ mentality come into play. It must be stopped. More deaths like this must not take place at any cost. They indicate just how much hatred can be aroused in people, with the prison happenings, of course, a microcosm of a far wider problem. This matter needs to be discussed, negotiated and sorted out between the two nations. But this, of course, will take time. Months, years, very possibly decades; right now, what we need to do is ensure the other Pakistani prisoners are safe. They all face a risk in the current environment. Indeed, even in the past, they have been attacked or mistreated.

The two countries need to decide on security measures to be adopted. This should happen urgently. The possibility of sending prisoners home should also be discussed. We cannot have more incidents of this nature take place. Everything possible must be done to prevent them and also investigations carried out to ensure that those who attacked Sanaullah can be duly identified and punished under the law for their crimes. This is vital to set a precedent for the future so other killings are averted.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 6^th, 2013.