The distraught family of Sarabjit Singh cut short their stay in Pakistan, where Singh is battling for life in a Lahore hospital, and returned to India on Wednesday morning.
The family described the Indian government as “inefficient” and accused it of betraying them when it came to saving Sarabjit Singh.
Seeking the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh “in case he could not protect an Indian citizen”, Sarabjit’s sister Dalbir Kaur threatened she would continue to fast till her brother is not relocated to India or another country for better medical care.
She said she doubted Pakistan’s intention to treat Sarabjit, saying that Pakistan doctors treating her brother “use to get angry”, told them “not to argue” and even refused to divulge details of his failing medical condition. Kaur said Sarabjit was not brain dead and that he showed movement in his hand, fingers and eyes during the five times they saw him and touched him in the hospital.
A visibly shattered Kaur said she wondered if both governments had agreed on some sort of tacit understanding post the hanging of Ajmal Kasab and Afzal Guru to let Sarabjit be a victim of the cold-blooded assault in Kot Lakhpat jail in wake of the elections.
The family will reach New Delhi from Amritsar on Wednesday night and is expected to meet the Prime Minister and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. Kaur said if her brother was not saved, she would create an environment which would leave the government faceless. “If my brother is not helped, I will not allow a single truck to cross over to Pakistan. I will lie on the road to stop trade, sit in-front of the train,” she said.
“I am disappointed with the government. They (Pakistan) got freed (Pakistani citizen Dr Khalil) Chishti and you (India) released their other prisoners. I want the government to immediately step in. I want to bring him back. If Malala (Yousafzai) can be treated abroad, why not my brother?” she said.
Tears rolled down the eyes of Sarabjit’s elder daughter Swapandeep as she said it was sad that she had to meet her father in this state. “We have no trust on the doctors there. We were not given any medical reports,” she said.
Kaur also said they returned after two days instead of the planned 15 days because she wanted Sarabjit’s wife and children to return safely to India as early as possible. “I will be going back all alone. I was told about the threats to my life in Pakistan,” she said.
