Custodial Death: Are Indo-Pak ties in danger?

indo pak vrPTn 5453

This is certainly going to be bad news for the Indo-Pak relations, which has seen many near abrupt end to the confidence building measures. Already, the Pakistan position over the hanging of Sarabjit is looming large on Indian mind and as if that wasn’t enough a new skeleton has tumbled from no where.

If reports of Mian Munshi Hospital Medical Board are to be believed, the Pakistani national Muhammad Akram had to go through the grind of inhuman torture, which in turn led to his untimely death. This was evident from the torture marks on the lower parts of Akram’s body, as a source of the hospital described.

This has been corroborated by the medical examination conducted by Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Dr Muhammad Akram Saeed, who is also Chairman of the Board, a senior surgeon, District Health Officer (DHO) and District Medico-legal Officer (DMLO).

The source also said that the Members of the Board who conducted the examination were suspicious that Akram might have been given some poisonous substance and therefore they resorted to sending the various body parts , viz. stomach, lungs and liver to Bacteriologists and Chemical Examination Department.

Akram had died on the eve of April 26 at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital in Amritsar and his body had been delivered to the Pakistani authorities and his relatives at the Wagah border. On February 7, 2008 he had strayed across the border into the Indian side and was later arrested.

Before conducting the autopsy , seeing the sensitivity and magnitude of the case, the Indian High Commission on its part conducted the autopsy in the presence of municipal authorities and representatives of human rights organizations, to remain transparent and avoid any further controversy.

Like it has happened in the past, with any such Indo-Pak incident, the blame game has already started and more mud slinging is awaited. The Indian High Commission has gone on records saying Akram’s death was because of natural causes and there was no foul play involved in it. However, the Pakistani authorities don’t seem to agree. The public on both sides of the border would pray that this incident doesn’t in any way hamper the peace process initiated between the countries.

Image : Flickr

Via : Pakistan Daily

Today's Top Articles:

Scroll to Top