Diplomatically & technically failed to bring back Sarabjeet Singh

On 26^th April 2013 Indian prisoner Sarabjeet Singh was attacked brutally in Lahore’s KotLakhpat jail in the pretext of hanging of Pakistani terrorist Kasab and master mind of 2001 Parliament attack accused Afzal Guru. The intention of both the country was same to gain political mileage as Guru and Kasab were hanged till death just before a year of upcoming parliamentary elections. The incumbent central government thought that the move would provide handsome seats in the elections, so they hanged both the accused. Since it’s a well-known fact the Pakistan was carved out from India and it was obvious to follow the same path.

Sarabjeet was arrested in 1990 at Kasur border of India-Pakistan in an inebriated state with a couple of scotch bottle and some US dollars just after a series of bomb blasts in Lahore and Faislabad which had rocked the Pakistan leaving 14 dead and several injured. Under Army Act of Pakistan he was sentenced to death in 1992 but due to efforts of so called Human Right Activists, his execution was delayed. Many times he filed a clemency petition but got rejected all the time. His sister took up the issue aggressively in 2005 and visited everywhere where she could find any rays of hope to get her brother released. But all her efforts went in vain. She had approached higher hierarchy of Pakistan’s executive as well as Indians.

The Indian government showed its true natural picture of letharginess and left the matter in cold. No efforts were made to bring Sarabjeet back to home country but just after his death all the government machinery become activated and started criticising the enemy nation. It is unfortunate that we react late with cowardice act.

Last year two soldiers were beheaded by the Pakistani Rangers but nothing was done, except providing some monetary assistance to the grieved family. Pakistani Parliament passed a resolution condemning the hanging of Afzal Guru, who was an Indian citizen and was a convict of Parliament attack. But no strong reactions or messages were sent to the enemy nation. Pakistan all the times show raised as well as red eyes to Indians but the Indian government repeatedly says, ‘We believe in aman ki asha’ at the cost of Indians lives.

KhaleelChisty was released from Indian jail, can it be understood that it was a strong instance of diplomatic failure. Why the demand for Sarabjeet’s freeing wasn’t raised when Chisty was being released. The current act of government leaves many questions that why our stand is softening on neighbouring state like Pakistan? Is it a case of vote bank politics?