Indo-Pak ties face stress test
The recent thaw in Indo-Pak bilateral relations have suffered another setback with the death of Sarabjit Singh in Pakistan. Sarabjit was convicted and sentenced to death on charges of Lahore and Faisalabad bombings in 1990. His sentence was later converted to life imprisonment, but right-wing forces in Pakistan had repeatedly called for his execution after the execution of militants, Ajmal Kasab and Afzal Guru, by India. Sarabjit was brutally attacked by fellow inmates in the jail and succumbed to his injuries six days following the attack. Earlier this year, another Indian prisoner also died in the same Lahore jail.
His death has fueled nationalist sentiments across India and sparked a fierce debate about the conditions of Indian prisoners in Pakistan. The incident is likely to strain relations between the neighboring countries and potentially slow down the recent trade and peace initiatives taken by the respective governments. However, analysts believe that both India and Pakistan recognize the importance of carrying forward the peace process and are not expected to completely abandon it. Sushobha Bharve, director of Delhi-based Center for Dialogue and Reconciliation, hopes that “it is a momentary setback and saner voices will soon prevail. India and Pakistan have no option but to talk.”
Unfortunately, a Pakistani prisoner, named Sanaullah Haq, suffered a retaliatory attack in an Indian prison in Jammu Kashmir. After suffering major head injuries, he has slipped into a coma and is under treatment at an Indian health care center. Pakistan has requested India to beef up security of its prisoners in Indian jails and segregate them from other prisoner. Political commentators opine that the involvement of non-state actors in such incidents cannot be ruled out as they would go all out to sabotage the regional peace process. In this ugly game, prisoners have become the new pawns and are being used to serve vested interests of these hawks.
Figures of Indian foreign office point out that there are 272 Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails, while 535 Indian prisoners are locked up in Pakistani jails. India’s official stance is that out of the 535 prisoners, 483 are fishermen who unknowingly violated Pakistan’s territorial limits. Sarabjit’s family also claimed that the deceased was only a farmer, who had accidentally crossed into Pakistan. However, both countries charge these prisoners of spying and remain deeply suspicious of each other. Due to sensitivity of the cases, both governments are also reluctant to take bold decisions and speed up the trial process of these prisoners. In the past, both sides have released some of the prisoners on humanitarian grounds as part of measures to develop goodwill.
It is important that Indian and Pakistani authorities do not mishandle the situation, which would further derail the peace process. As proposed by the Indian foreign office, there is a need to hold a bilateral meeting to discuss the suggestions given by the Joint India-Pakistan Judicial Committee on Prisoners. Both countries should carryout out impartial and public investigations into these assaults so that the criminals are brought to justice. Any negligence on part of the jail authorities should also be strictly punished. At the same time, there is a need to speed up the trial process of these prisoners languishing in jails so that faith could be restored between the two parties.
