A long way from home: Deceased Indian fisherman languishing in Edhi morgue

Bala Singad was the third Indian fisherman to have died in the Landhi Jail since last December.

KARACHI: The oldest occupant of the Edhi morgue in Karachi at the moment, Bala Naran Singad, does not belong to the country.

For a month and seven days, the Indian fisherman's body has been lying at the Edhi morgue as authorities have yet to complete the requisite formalities to send his remians back to India.

Caught from the Pakistani waters a few months ago, Bala, who was imprisoned at the Landhi Jail, was brought to the Edhi morgue on July 25th. He had died a day earlier of chest infection for which he was being treated at a government hospital.



A yellow slip tucked inside the shroud of the moustached fisherman distinguished him from others.

"We normally keep bodies for a maximum of six days. But we are waiting for officials to take this one away," said Ghulam Hussain of the Edhi morgue.

Anxious family

Requesting for the immediate return of the deceased, his brother in-law, Mahesh, speaking via telephone from Saurashtra, Gujarat, said that the family was very worried. "His wife has been constantly crying and just wants to see him for the last time," he said in broken Hindi and Urdu.

Bala, who was 35 years old at the time of death, had been forced into the profession when he was only a teenager. A marriage and three children made him continue the work.

He was caught by the Pakistani officials a few months ago for mistakenly crossing into this side of the border.

While officials in Pakistan claim that he had been ill since the beginning and was often taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, the family denies these claims. "He had no illness here. We don't know how he died," said Mahesh.

Two brothers still in jail

Bala's family claims that two of his younger brothers, Bhart and Paljee, who were caught with him on the fishing boat, are currently imprisoned in the Landhi Jail. The family demanded the release of the two brothers.

"We want his two brothers to be sent home with his body. Who will perform his Antam Sanskar (last rites) if his brothers are not here?" questioned Mahesh.

An official of the Malir jail, Mirza Shujat Haider was however unable to confirm the account. "Call me later and I will tell you the details," he said, before hurriedly hanging up the phone.

Speeding up the process

A representative of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum, Mustafa Gurgaze, said that they had reached out to their Indian counterparts to ensure the body is sent home at the earliest.

According to him, officials of the Indian High Commission will verify the body as an Indian national and then make arrangements for it to be sent home.

"If a prisoner dies in the jail of either Pakistan or India, the process to send the body home takes time. Both countries are reluctant to own the body as the matter is sensitive. They have to check if the person was really a fisherman and not a criminal or terrorist."

Since last December, this is the third Indian fishermen to have died in Landhi jail. All were also said to have died of ailments.

Meanwhile, there are currently 250 Pakistanis in Indians jails, and 360 Indians imprisoned in Pakistani jails, said Gurgaze. 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 3^rd, 2014.