Indian policemen escort Pakistani High Commissioner Salman Bashir (C) and Pakistani officials on their arrival to meet with critically injured Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah Haq. AFP PHOTO/SHAMMI MEHRA
Ailing Pakistani inmate Sanaullah Haq’s chances of survival were termed “bleak” by hospital officials in Chandigarh during a briefing to Pakistan’s High Commissioner Salman Bashir, who visited the patient on Monday.
Hospital sources at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) Chandigarh confirmed that Sanaullah’s condition was deteriorating day by day and that the patient appeared “more critical than yesterday.”Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India Salman Bashir visited Sanaullah amid high security.
The high commissioner was briefed on Sanaullah’s condition by Dr SN Mathuriya, head of neurosurgery and Dr Y K Batra, In-charge Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in the presence of Dr YK Chawla, director and Dr AK Gupta, medical superintendent. Bashir was informed that the condition of the patient had deteriorated and his chances of survival seemed to be decreasing.
Sanaullah, who is serving a life term in a Jammu jail, was flown in to PGIMER in Chandigarh on Friday after he had been brutally attacked by another inmate. The attack appears to have been motivated by a similar incident involving Sarabjit Singh who had been imprisoned in Pakistan.
Hospital spokesperson, Manju Wadwalkar, said there was metabolic deterioration in the form of fluctuating blood sugar and spiking temperature. In addition, Sanaullah’s hemodynamic (blood movement) status was reported to be worse with an increase in “oxygen requirement to maintain arterial blood gases.” The institute further said that the patient continues to be on ventilator and his neurological status does not show signs of improvement.
In light of his medical condition Pakistani diplomats, once again demanded visas for Sanaullah’s immediate family member. Spokesperson for Pakistan’s high commission, Manzoor Ali Memon said “Sanaullah’s children and mother have requested to meet the ailing 52-year-old prisoner.”
He recalled that Sarabjit’s kin were given permission to see him in Lahore by Pakistani authorities, who had processed their visas on urgent basis despite a half day at the embassy in Delhi.
“Let us see how the Indian government deals with the situation,” he said. Sanaullah was given consular access after he arrived in Chandigarh. Two officials from the Pakistan high commission, Abrar Hashmi and Zargham Abbas, have been in the city since Saturday morning and are continuously in touch with doctors treating Sanuallah.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 7th, 2013.
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It is wrong to characterize it as a "tit-for-tat" attack. Had this man kept his mouth damn shut after Sarabjit's killing and not ranted against him and India, he would not have been harmed. The problem with Muslims is that they are always poking fingers in the eyes of others and then raise a lot of racket like an "innocent" victim. It was he who initiated the brawl and he got what was coming to him.
@Stranger:
Both countries are in a state of hate that even they are ready to shoot birds flying cross border, and that hate is growing and penetrating into the masses by the passage of time! A large scale terrorist activity in the future can’t be ruled out resulting huge destruction & War!
Please stop targetting defenceless vulnerable prisoners.