Sarabjit Singh dies at Pakistan's Jinnah hospital

[Singh, Mahan]

http://www.punjabspectrum.com/2013/05/6534

A few days ago an article by Dr. Parmjt Singh Sumra was pulished in one of the Punjabi vernacular newspaper. I think it was in The Paheredar. Now I can not locate that article. However I found the same article published on an other internet web site. In that article Dr. Sumra has given a sensational account of who Sarbjit Singh was and what the background of his sister (Dalbir Kaur) is. He also raises the question about how a drunken man could safely cross a densely strung electrified barbed wire that runs along the entire border of Pakistan and Punjab, and the show up in Lahore . Dr. Sumra also traces the relationship of Dalbir Kaur with Puhlla Nihang ( who killed several Sikh families and was a special agent of Indian agencies and was collaborating with Samedh Saini, the present day Director General of Punjab Police)). Dr. Sumra has also made allegations against Ameriko (Amrik Kaur) who was Puhla Nihang’s girlfriend and a special friend of Dalbir Kaur. In his allegations Dr. Sumra says that Amriko and Dalbiro (Sarbjit Singh's sister Dalbir Kaur) used to take money from young men on the pretext of getting them jobs with Punjab Police, but then after that they would report to Sameth Saini who would arrange false encounters to kill those men claiming them to be 'Kharkoos'.

Those who can read Punjabi should read the article at

http://www.punjabspectrum.com/2013/05/6534

.

.

[ThunderousDominator]

he gotexactly what he deserved

Sarabjit Singh had gone to Pakistan for an operation managed by a senior Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) official, who later became the external intelligence agency's chief as well, sources have told HT.

"Sarabjit was an Indian spy in Pakistan. He managed to accomplish the task given to him but was caught while trying to flee," said an intelligence source who refused to elaborate more on the operation taken up by the spy.

A former intelligence official, who dealt with Sarabjit's case, said the operation executed by Sarabjit didn't serve any tactical purpose but still the agency had executed many such missions in Pakistan in the early and mid 90s.

"Some of the operations executed by the R&AW during the period were totally mindless. Spies like Sarabjit and their family have paid huge cost for it. Sometimes, the agency officials executed operations out of personal bravado that they can get 'something' done in Pakistan," said the official.

Sources also point out that the agency is yet to evolve a policy for paying spies like Sarabjit or their families when they caught in the enemy land.

"Payments vary case to case depending on the nature of operation. There is no uniformity in discreet payments to families when such agents are caught or eliminated by the enemy," says a source.

"Sarabjit had been awarded a state funeral because his case was mainly highlighted due to efforts of his politically astute sister Dalbir Kaur. His family is also being compensated, But there are many cases in which the spies came back from Pakistan knocked the doors of courts to get their dues," the source said.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Sarabjit-Singh-was-a-R-amp-AW-agent-in-Pakistan-source/Article1-1055309.aspx

[VanHelsingh]

Sounds like the fella was disavowed and hung out to dry. Standard procedure I guess.

[GPS]

http://www.punjabspectrum.com/2013/05/6534

A few days ago an article by Dr. Parmjt Singh Sumra was pulished in one of the Punjabi vernacular newspaper. I think it was in The Paheredar. Now I can not locate that article. However I found the same article published on an other internet web site. In that article Dr. Sumra has given a sensational account of who Sarbjit Singh was and what the background of his sister (Dalbir Kaur) is. He also raises the question about how a drunken man could safely cross a densely strung electrified barbed wire that runs along the entire border of Pakistan and Punjab, and the show up in Lahore . Dr. Sumra also traces the relationship of Dalbir Kaur with Puhlla Nihang ( who killed several Sikh families and was a special agent of Indian agencies and was collaborating with Samedh Saini, the present day Director General of Punjab Police)). Dr. Sumra has also made allegations against Ameriko (Amrik Kaur) who was Puhla Nihangs girlfriend and a special friend of Dalbir Kaur. In his allegations Dr. Sumra says that Amriko and Dalbiro (Sarbjit Singh's sister Dalbir Kaur) used to take money from young men on the pretext of getting them jobs with Punjab Police, but then after that they would report to Sameth Saini who would arrange false encounters to kill those men claiming them to be 'Kharkoos'.

Those who can read Punjabi should read the article at

http://www.punjabspectrum.com/2013/05/6534

.

Sarbjit was an agent working for India. He should get nothing from Punjab money.

Now coming to fake dr attached with parmjit sumra. A missionary who uses foul language for tenth master's bani. He is regular contributor at ragi darshan's webite and uses such a bad language which not an even an uneducated person will use.

Admin note: Please be civil to other members regardless of differences in opinions.

[Singh, Mahan]

Now coming to fake dr attached with parmjit sumra. -------

I had not heard the name of Dr Parmjit Singh Sumra before I read that article . However, I am thankful that I am made aware that Dr attached to Dr. Parmjit Singh Sumra is fake. I shall keep that in mind if ever I happen to read again something written by him - that he is a fake Dr.

[GPS]

Singh Mahan ji

Fake title is a side issue only. Real issue is the language they resort to. They use filthiest of filthy language for our insititutions such as akal takhat even writing to the extent that akal takhat was not that important in sikh history. It is well known what sites they freuently use. They call jathedar of akal takhat as pappu, donkey etc.

I am sure their background is well known to all of us. They write on darshan ragi's site , singhsabha canada, sikhmarg sites mainly. Main point is their anti panthic agenda we should be aware of.

[Jonny101]

Singh Mahan ji

Fake title is a side issue only. Real issue is the language they resort to. They use filthiest of filthy language for our insititutions such as akal takhat even writing to the extent that akal takhat was not that important in sikh history. It is well known what sites they freuently use. They call jathedar of akal takhat as pappu, donkey etc.

I am sure their background is well known to all of us. They write on darshan ragi's site , singhsabha canada, sikhmarg sites mainly. Main point is their anti panthic agenda we should be aware of.

I stopped reading that article of this sumra as I read the part where he writes that Bhai Vir Singh Jee is an Akhauti Likhari. Can you believe this low life Sumra saying this about one of the most respect Sikh writers of the 20th century. The man who is regarded as the father of modern Punjabi literature and gave Punjabi language the respectful standing it now has is being called an Akhauti likhaari by these Kala Afghanists. This Sumra is not even 10% of the writer Bhai Vir Singh Jee was, yet he thinks he has the Aukaat to call Bhai Sahib as "Aukhauti Likhaari"!

The only Akhauti Dr and so called writer is Sumra here:

[GPS]

I stopped reading that article of this sumra as I read the part where he writes that Bhai Vir Singh Jee is an Akhauti Likhari. Can you believe this low life Sumra saying this about one of the most respect Sikh writers of the 20th century. The man who is regarded as the father of modern Punjabi literature and gave Punjabi language the respectful standing it now has is being called an Akhauti likhaari by these low life Kala Afghanists. This Sumra is not even 10% of the writer Bhai Vir Singh Jee was, yet he thinks he has the Aukaat to call Bhai Sahib as "Aukhauti Likhaari"!

The only Akhauti Dr and so called writer is Sumra here:

Not only that they write that Sant Bhindrewale was a bipar sadh. They write that Bhai Veer singh, one of greatest mystic sikh writer, is categorized by them as one who stole writings of Dhani Ram chatrik.

That is what i was trying to point out to Singh Mahan. I am sure he has read this article and he seems to have no problem with labelling of Bhai Veer singh as bad person of sikh panth.When you read their writings your blood gets boiling. This sumra may be some RMP or vaid and he becomes doctor. Dhundha is 8 grade and he becomes prof. Where are their ethics.

[Guest]

May the guru bless him

[Premi5]

Sorry to bump this up, but just came to mind again, and I think he was a Shaheed. Very tragic story. I think he was used /framed by Pakistan. They probably killed him to cover this up

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarabjit_Singh

Sarabjit Singh Attwal (also spelled Sarabjeet Singh; 1963 or 1964 – 2 May 2013^[2]) (alleged to be Manjit Singh Rattu by Pakistan^[1][3][4]) was an Indian national convicted of terrorism and spying by a Pakistani court.^[5][6] He was tried and convicted by the Supreme Court of Pakistan for a series of bomb attacks in Lahore and Faisalabad that killed 14 bystanders in 1990.^[7] However, according to India, Sarabjit was a farmer who strayed into Pakistan from his village located on the border, three months after the bombings.^{[8][9][10][11][12][13]}

After a brief trial in the Lahore High Court (later directed to the Supreme Court), he was condemned and sentenced to death in 1991, but the sentence was repeatedly postponed by the Government of Pakistan.^[14] While in prison at Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore in April 2013, he was attacked by fellow inmates and died six days later at the Jinnah Hospital, Lahore.

Contents

• 1Background and family
• 2Arrest and prosecution
  • 2.1Death sentence
  • 2.2Issues with prosecution
• 3After conviction
  • 3.1Presidential pardon
  • 3.2Efforts for release
    • 3.2.1Mercy petitions
    • 3.2.2Free Sarabjit campaign
  • 3.3Protests
• 4Death
• 5Aftermath
• 6Published accounts
  • 6.1Film
• 7See also
• 8References
• 9External links

Background and family[edit]

Singh was born in Bhikhiwind, located along the Indo-Pakistani border in the Tarn Taran district of Punjab, India.^[15] He was fond of wrestling and taking care of rare pigeons.^[16] He worked as a farmer on other's fields.^[16] He was married to Sukhpreet Kaur and had two daughters Swapandeep and Poonam Kaur. His sister, Dalbir Kaur, was working towards his release since 1991 till his death in 2013.^[17][18]

However, another woman named Baljinder Kaur disputed Dalbir's relation to Singh and claimed to be Singh's real sister. According to Baljinder, Singh was the third eldest of ten siblings and Dalbir was not their sister, but had happened to know Singh since 1989; "Dalbir Kaur assured us she had right links and would struggle for the release of Sarabjit on some conditions. We trusted her and let her pursue the matter, only to be pushed out of the picture." Dalbir added that she had nothing to prove her relation with Singh except offering to undergo a DNA test. She also claimed that Singh's real brothers, Charanjit and Harbhajan, were not allowed to light his pyre at his funeral and were "pushed back" by people at the cremation ground. Commenting further on Dalbir, she added: "People have been coming to the fore (after Singh's death) for cheap publicity. They were nowhere when I alone struggled for his release."^[19]

Arrest and prosecution[edit]

Sarabjeet was caught on an unmarked Indo-Pakistani border area in Pakistan and arrested by the Pakistan Rangers near Kasur.^[18] Singh and his supporters claimed that the arrest was a case of mistaken identity and that he was only a poor farmer who was drunk and had strayed over the border.^[17] His sister said that the family launched a search but could not find any clue to his whereabouts for nine months.^[18] After a year they received a letter from Singh, informing them that he had been arrested in Pakistan as Manjit Singh, as he had no identification papers and had been charged by the Lahore police in the bombings.^[20] He was convicted of spying and carrying out the bombings and was given the death penalty.^[17]

Some sources say that he was initially arrested on charges of illegally crossing the India-Pakistan border. But after eight days, the Pakistani police charged him with involvement in the 1990 terror blasts at Faisalabad and Lahore.^[21] The authorities claimed that he was 'Manjit Singh' and had been responsible for the four blasts which killed 14 people, and had been arrested while returning to India after carrying out the bombings.^{[citation needed]} He was accused of working for the Indian Research and Analysis Wing intelligence agency.^[22] He subsequently confessed on camera to the bombings.^[23]

It was later reported that Manjit Singh was later apprehended in Canada,^[24] and later in India.^[25][26]

Death sentence[edit]

In 1991 Singh was given the death sentence under Pakistan's Army Act.^[27] His sentence was upheld by the High Court Division and later by the Appeallate Division.^[20] The Supreme Court dismissed a petition to review his death sentence in March 2006 as Singh's lawyers failed to appear for the hearing.^[28] Singh said that his appeal had been dismissed by the Pakistan Supreme Court only because of lack of interest by his former lawyer.^[29]

Issues with prosecution[edit]

Singh had been arrested on the night of 30 August 1990 at the Kasur border for illegally crossing the Indo-Pakistani border. Eight days after, the police implicated him in the terrorist bombings.^[21] Burney also pointed out that the same magistrate had recorded the witness statements in all the four bombings, of which one had taken place at Faisalabad and the remaining three at Lahore, although the police investigations involved four different police stations and two different districts. He said four different magistrates should have recorded the statements. None of the statements recorded in front of the magistrate were taken under oath. Singh had been paraded before the witnesses in the absence of the magistrate, and the police had informed the witnesses that he was the bomber. This was confirmed by Salim's testimony.^[21]

An Indian origin British lawyer, Jas Uppal,^[28] campaigning for his release, pointed to several problems with the prosecution in the trial.^[30] These problems included:

• His identity was never verified or proved in court and no forensic evidence was provided at his trial to link him to the bomb attacks.
• The trial was conducted in English, which Singh does not speak or understand, and no interpreter was provided.
• There were allegations that he was tortured in custody and forced to confess.
• The trial was "fast-tracked".
• The main witness repeatedly changed his version of events.

After conviction[edit]

On 26 April 2008, the key witness Shaukat Salim^[31][32] retracted his statement during an interview with journalists. Salim's father and other relatives had been killed in the bombing. In court Salim testified that Singh had planted the bomb but later said that he made that statement under pressure from the police.^[21] Singh's lawyer, Abdul Rana Hamid, said that Salim's statements had no legal standing as they were never recorded in court.^[21]

Five of his mercy petitions were rejected by the courts and the President of Pakistan, but in 2008 the government nonetheless put off Singh's execution indefinitely.^[33]

Presidential pardon[edit]

On 27 June 2012, both Pakistani and international media reported President Asif Ali Zardari signed a document sent by the interior ministry of Pakistan commuting Singh's death sentence to life in prison.^[27][34] A life sentence in Pakistan generally lasts 14 years.^[9] Singh, having spent 22 years in jail, was therefore to be released. The news of his pardon and imminent release initiated celebrations in his hometown. The Indian foreign minister also issued a statement of appreciation to Islamabad for the gesture.^[8]

This drew a storm of condemnation from Islamic groups Jamaat-e-Islami and Jamaat-ud-Da'wah. Later that day, after media agencies in both Pakistan and India had reported on a commuted sentence and pending release for Singh, the Pakistani government announced that the name of the prisoner to be released would be Surjeet Singh, not Sarabjit Singh.^[35][36] Surjeet Singh was arrested on charges of spying by the Pakistani security officials. Indian government, however, denied that Surjeet Singh was a spy. Upon his return to India, Surjeet Singh admitted that he was a Research and Analysis Wing spy. He said that he was sent to Pakistan by the Indian government and in his absence, the Indian Army paid his family a monthly pension of 150 rupees ($3). He also says that there were around twenty other Indian prisoners detained in the same prison where he was kept. Sarabjit Singh and Kirpal Singh were among them. According to Surjeet, the Indian government has done little to secure their freedom and Indian government policy is not to comment on these issues. He also says that there were around twenty other Indian prisoners detained in the same prison where he was kept. Sarabjit Singh and Kirpal Singh were among them.^[37][38] Surjeet Singh also stated that Sarabjit Singh was an Indian spy working for Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).^[39]

Regarding the confusion related to Sarabjit-Surjeet mix-up, Surjeet Singh said that similar Urdu spellings of both the names led to the confusion.^[40] Surjeet also said that Indian prisoners are treated well in Pakistani jails and they are provided with all the basic necessities.^[41] BBC News reported that in recent years, several Indians returning from Pakistani jails have admitted to spying. Some have criticised India's government for abandoning them.^[42]

Five hours later the Pakistani government issued a statement denying the reports and holding the media responsible for the confusion. They announced that the release order had been for another prisoner, Surjeet Singh, who was pardoned in 1989.^[8][35][43] Sarabjit's family condemned the incident as a "cruel joke".^[44][45]

Singh filed a new mercy appeal to the President of Pakistan on the 65th independence day of that country.^[46]

Efforts for release[edit]

On 23 August 2005, Singh's case was taken up in both houses of the Indian Parliament, where the government was asked to take action for his release.^{[citation needed]}

In March 2008, Singh's family went to Pakistan for his scheduled execution. They met several prominent Pakistani politicians, including former Prime minister Nawaz Sharif to appeal for his release. Sharif said, "After seeing the plight of the members of Sarabjit's family who have come to Pakistan, any person can feel the pain they are going through." However, Sharif added that he should be released on the condition that India would send him back to Pakistan if further evidence was found against him.^[9]

The Indian External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh took up Sarabjit Singh's case with the Pakistan High Commissioner Aziz Ahmed Khan and urged him to convey Delhi's hope that Islamabad would treat the matter as a humanitarian issue.^[9]

Mercy petitions[edit]

After his conviction in 1991, several mercy petitions were filed by Singh's lawyers. The fifth petition was filed on 28 May 2012 along with 100,000 signatures collected from India. None of the mercy petitions were granted.

Free Sarabjit campaign[edit]

In 2009 British lawyer Jas Uppal started an online campaign "freesarabjitsingh.com"^[47] to highlight the case and request human rights groups to intervene on his behalf.^[28] Awais Sheikh, Singh's Pakistani lawyer, supported the campaign and provided his services free of charge.^[28]

Hai gham ki usska wahan koi meet nahin hai
Yeh sabki ghuzarish hai koi geet nahin hai
Ghalati se jisko aapne rakhaa hai pakadke
Woh shaqs Sarabjit Manjit nahin hai.

— Raza Murad in a couplet supporting Sarabjt's release.^[48]

Bollywood actor and activist Raza Murad also campaigned for his release. As of June 2012, he had collected 138,226 signatures in support of Singh's release. After the Pakistani government's reversal regarding his release in June 2012, Murad intensified his 'Free Sarabjit' campaign.^[48]

In June 2012, Bollywood actor Salman Khan came forward to seek support from people and media for the release of Sarabjit.^[49] He also started an online petition from his NGO Being Human in support of his release.^[50]

Protests[edit]

In April 2008, a group of Pakistani students organised a march seeking withdrawal of all official moves to pardon Singh.^[51][52]

Death[edit]

Singh was attacked on 26 April 2013 at about 4:30 pm in the Central Jail Lahore (Kot Lakhpat jail), by other prisoners, with bricks, sharp metal sheets, iron rods and blades. He was admitted to Jinnah Hospital, Lahore in critical condition with severe head injuries, in a coma, with a broken backbone. He was placed on a ventilator.^[53] The exact circumstances of the attack and the number of attackers have been differently reported. Some sources have indicated that there were six assailants whereas others have indicated two.^[24] Some indicated that he was assaulted in his cell; others indicated that the attack took place when he was brought out of his cell for an hour-long break.^[24] According to his sister, the attack on Singh was pre-planned and the jail authorities were involved. His wife, sister and two daughters were allowed to visit him in the hospital.^{[54][55][56][57]}

Singh had been threatened after Afzal Guru was executed in India in February 2013 over his role in the 2001 Indian Parliament attack case.^[58] Some sources had indicated that the attack was planned after Guru's execution.^[59][60] The Indian prime minister, Manmohan Singh, termed the attack as "very sad".^[61][62] On 29 April 2013, India appealed to Pakistan to release Sarabjit Singh on humanitarian grounds or at least allow him to be provided medical treatment in India, but these were repeatedly rejected by Pakistan.^[63][64] Appeals by lawyers were also filed with the Supreme Court of Pakistan to send Singh for medical treatment to the UK or outside Pakistan to save his life.^[65]

On 1 May 2013 he was declared brain dead by doctors at Jinnah Hospital, but Pakistani authorities refused to give a statement. His sister and family returned to India. His sister said that the doctors attending to her brother were not being honest with them and she suspected foul play. She also remarked to having seen ink on his left thumb and that the Pakistani doctors had been evading questions.^[66][67]

On 2 May 2013, he was reported to have died at 12:45 am local time in Lahore, when he was removed from the ventilator support after his condition worsened towards the middle of the night.^[2][68] His body was brought to India by a special aircraft the same evening.^[20] Indian doctors claimed that the second postmortem revealed that vital organs were missing from his body.^[69] An autopsy also revealed that his skull was broken into two pieces.^[70] They were, however, waiting for the report of the first postmortem conducted in Pakistan.

Aftermath[edit]

The Government of Punjab, India declared a three-day period of mourning over Singh's death and announced it would pay his descendants a compensation of Rs 10,000,000.^[71] A biopic titled 'Sarbjit' directed by Omung Kumar starring Randeep Hooda, Richa Chadda and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan released on 20 May 2016.^[72]

Published accounts[edit]

Film[edit]

A biographical film called Sarabjit was produced by Vashu Bhagnani (among others) and directed by Omung Kumar. Actress Aishwarya Rai essayed the role of Singh's sister, Dalbir Kaur, while, Randeep Hooda and Richa Chada played the role of Sarbjit Singh and his wife, Sukhpreet, respectively.^[73][74][75] The film was narrated through the perspective of Sarbjit Singh's sister Dalbir Kaur and was released on 20 May 2016 in India; the Censor board of Pakistan banned the film for being "anti-Pakistani".^[76]