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Explain prisoner’s death, Pakistan asks India

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday said it was “deeply shocked and angered” at the death of a Pakistani prisoner in India, and asked for an explanation of the charges under which he was held and the circumstances of his death.

The body of Khalid Mehmood arrived at the Wagah border on Monday, a month after he reportedly died in a Gurgaon jail.

Pakistani media reported that he was tortured in the jail, and drew a contrast between Mehmood’s fate and the rescue and of the alleged spy Kashmir Singh from death row in Pakistan.

Human Rights Minister Ansar Burney, who played an important role in freeing Mr. Singh, came under fire for escorting him in a government car all the way up to the Wagah border, but not being present when Mehmood’s body arrived at the same place a few days later.

Foreign Office spokesman Mohammed Sadiq said at his weekly briefing that Mehmood’s reported “torture and the inhumane treatment meted out to him in custody merit strong condemnation.”

“The incident has dampened the goodwill generated by the release of Mr. Singh, and also negated the spirit of the recent Pakistan-India agreement on the establishment of a Judicial Committee on Prisoners,” Mr. Sadiq said.

The committee, comprising retired judges from both sides, is to visit prisons in India and Pakistan and make recommendations for humane treatment and early release of prisoners languishing in jails in each other’s countries.

The spokesman described as “regrettable” the failure of Indian authorities to inform the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi of Mehmood’s arrest; nor was any consular access provided to him. Pakistan said this was against international diplomatic norms.

The Pakistan government has come under fire from the media for not doing anything for Mehmood while he was alive.

The spokesman said the dead prisoner’s family had not approached the government for assistance.

As a result, the first time Pakistan High Commission heard about Mehmood was on February 13, when Indian authorities informed it of his death.

“As soon as the matter was reported to our High Commission, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs was asked to have the matter thoroughly investigated and to share the outcome/medical report with the Mission. We are in contact with the Government of India and have asked them to specify the charges under which the deceased was detained, explain the circumstances of his death and provide any other relevant information,” Mr. Sadiq said.

To a question how this episode might affect the peace process between the countries, Mr. Sadiq said the composite dialogue process was a Pakistani proposal, and it would continue despite the “experience with Khalid Mehmood.”

The spokesman reminded India of its “obligation to ensure humane treatment of all Pakistani prisoners,” and said Pakistan would continue efforts for early repatriation of all its nationals in jails across the border.

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