Cleric sees ISI hand in attack on Sarabjit

The attack on Sarabjit Singh in Lahore jail is part of a conspiracy by the Pakistan intelligence agency, ISI, and the silence of the Ulema in that country on the unfortunate incident is intriguing, Dargah Dewan of Ajmer shrine Syed Zainul Abedin Ali Khan has stated.

He accused right wing groups in Pakistan and Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) of carrying out the attack to avenge the hanging of Afzal Guru in February 2013. Guru was hanged for his role in the attack on Parliament in 2001. “This attack is the handiwork of such groups to reap benefits in poll-bound Pakistan,” Ali Khan said.

Pakistan claimed to be an Islamic country, he said and wondered whether Islam permitted such atrocities.  “The attack on a foreign prisoner is against Islamic jurisprudence. I ask from the heads of Islamic republic of Pakistan to justify the attack  on a non-Muslim in the light of Islamic law,” he said.

Islamic law “holds that prisoners of war and foreign prisoners should not be ill-treated and must be fed and clothed,” Ali Khan said.

The government of India had to react strongly. Such incidents could create a negative atmosphere in India and set up the right-wing groups against the minorities, he said.
Earlier Ali Khan had opposed Pakistan Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf’s visit in Ajmer, to mark his protest against the beheading of two Indian soldiers in that country.

He demanded that the UN watchdog should take note of this incident and assess the condition of many Indians languishing in Pakistan jails.

Singh was battered by other jail inmates last Friday. He sustained head injuries and is undergoing treatment in Jinnah Hospital in Lahore.

Ali Khan accused the US government of anti-Musliam bias after the 9/11 terror attack.  Reacting to the detention of UP minister Azam Khan's at Boston airport  he said “the US has made it a habit of insulting Indian leaders, artists and diplomats, especially Muslims. Such ill-treatment has only resulted in anti-US sentiments among Muslims in this  country.”
He termed both the incidents “diplomatic failures” of the Indian government. It had to strengthen its foreign policy to avoid such treatment to fellow Indians, he said.