Pak Foreign Office confirms attack on Sarabjit

Indian national Sarabjit Singh sustained head injuries in a "scuffle" with other prisoners in a Lahore jail and was admitted in an unconscious state to hospital, where doctors were trying to revive him, Pakistan's Foreign Office said today. In the first official statement from the government on the incident, the Foreign Office confirmed that Sarabjit, 49, was on a ventilator at Jinnah Hospital in Lahore.

It said he was "immediately evacuated" to hospital and provided emergency medical assistance. "As a result of a scuffle between prisoners at the Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore, yesterday, Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh suffered head injuries which rendered him unconscious. Doctors and medical staff at the hospital are working round-the-clock to revive the prisoner, who remains unconscious and on a ventilator," said the statement issued by the Foreign Office spokesman.

"On hearing of the incident and in view of its humanitarian nature, the Government of Pakistan provided timely consular access and permitted two officials of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad to travel to Lahore and visit the prisoner late last night," the statement said. The medical staff of Jinnah Hospital and officials of the Government of Punjab province had been "forthcoming in providing all assistance" to the Indian officials and updated them on the medical condition of Sarabjit, it said.

The Foreign Ministry had instructed the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi to "facilitate provision of visas to family members of Sarabjit Singh who may wish to visit him during his hospitalisation". The statement further said that the Home Department of Punjab and authorities of Kot Lakhpat Jail were investigating the matter. Sources told PTI that Sarabjit was brutally assaulted by at least six prisoners within his barrack in the jail yesterday.