New Delhi:
Pakistan has said it will allow consular access to Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh for a second time, but his family wants him moved to India for better treatment. Local media reports in Pakistan say that a four-member team of medical experts has decided that there is no requirement to send Sarabjit abroad for treatment. Sarabjit, who is on death row in Pakistan, is critically injured and in coma after being attacked on Friday at a Lahore jail. Four members of his family visited him in hospital yesterday.
Here are 10 big developments in this story:
After visiting him at the hospital, Sarabjit's sister Dalbir Kaur told NDTV, "His two daughters told him, 'Papa, say something! Papa, look at us once! Papa! Papa, we have come to you.' His wife said to him, 'Look at me once. I have come. For once, please, at least open your eyes.' But Sarabjit did not open his eyes."
Doctors treating Sarabjit say that he has shown "no sign" of improvement and his chances of survival are "slim". The 49-year-old is in deep coma and on ventilator support.
His sister also said, "I request my Indian government to please, without further delay, take Sarabjit away from here. And take him where he can be treated well." The family is visiting Pakistan on an emergency visa
Pakistan had stopped Indian diplomats from visiting Sarabjit at the Jinnah hospital yesterday saying consular access had been granted only for single visit since the hospital is now being deemed a sub jail. It has now allowed a second visit. Indian diplomats had visited Sarabjit late on Friday night.
India has sought regular access to Sarabjit, who was assaulted in his cell at the Kot Lakhpat Jail, where he has been lodged since 1990, reportedly by six prisoners. They allegedly attacked Sarabjit with bricks and a blade. (Read: How Sarabjit was attacked)
New Delhi has also said it will do all it can to ensure Sarabjit is sent back to India "on humanitarian grounds". We have done it in the past and the matter has been taken up at every level," Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur told NDTV. (Read)
Two prisoners have been booked for attempt to murder. Four jail officials, including the warden, have been suspended.
Sarabjit's family has alleged that that the attack was premeditated and that jail authorities were involved. (Watch)
They also claim that they had about a threat to Sarabjit's life to the Indian government earlier this year. "Sarabjit warned us he would be attacked... he told us prisoners were threatening him...government told us they will talk to Pakistan... why didn't they react after the threats?" his sister told NDTV.
Sarabjit, 49, is on death row in Pakistan, which accuses him of being responsible for bomb blasts that killed 14 people in that country 23 years ago. His family claims that he crossed over to Pakistan from his border village in Punjab in an inebriated state in 1990 and had nothing to do with the blasts he is accused of.
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