The Pakistanis were on Thursday enraged to know about the death of prisoner Sanaullah in Chandigarh, after battling for life in a hospital for a few days.
Anti-India protests were held in Sialkot, the hometown of Sanaullah Ranjay, and other cities of Pakistan as the television channels reported about the prisoner’s death.
Foreign office spokesman Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said, “The brutal manner in which Sanaullah was attacked in the jail is most unfortunate and a matter of deep concern for the government of Pakistan.”
“We have conveyed concern to the government of India in this regard and demanded that an investigation into the incident be held and perpetrators of this heinous crime be brought to justice,” he added.
Mr Chaudhry said Pakistan has also called upon the Indian government to ensure safety and security of all Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails.
The spokesman pledged his call to India to hold focused discussions on the conditions of Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails and repatriate those who have already completed their sentences as per the consular access agreement between Pakistan and India.
He said a special plane was sent to Chandigarh to carry dead body of the Pakistani prisoner.
“No explanation has been given by Indian authorities so far about the crime of Sanaullah and neither was he granted consular access for the last 15 years,” added the spokesman.
He said it is inappropriate to compare Sanaullah with Sarabjit Singh who was a terrorist.
Sanaullah was admitted to the hospital with severe injuries after being assaulted and tortured by Indian prisoners in a jail in Indian Administered Kashmir last week.
The attack had come a day after a convicted Indian spy Sarabjit Singh died after being attacked by fellow inmates at a Pakistani prison Kot Lakhpat Lahore. Sanaullah was in the Indian jail since 1995.
The spokesman also said Pakistan considers India’s on-going efforts to build ballistic missile system as a destabilising development.
Mr Chaudhry said Pakistan has constantly drawn attention of the Indian government to this issue through composite dialogue process.
About Pakistan’s short range missiles‚ he said these are meant to address 3 major concerns emanating from India.
“These include increasing conventional weapons’ asymmetry, India’s offensive doctrine and development of ballistic missile system,” he added.