Thursday, November 27, 2008
ISLAMABAD: Please dont ask for interview of my brother: He might relapse, if asked to recall the untold agonies he underwent during his imprisonment, remarked sister of a young man who languished for 14 years in the Indian jails.
The prisoner was released in 2005 along with several other Pakistanis from the Indian captivity, majority of them had lost mental fitness. He was treated by the psychiatrists to restore his memory. This tragic phenomenon continues, courtesy Pakistans indifference to it. This correspondent has tried thrice in three years to interview her unfortunate brother, who was detained 17 years ago. She requested for anonymity and wanted her brothers name also not to be mentioned in the piece of writing.
When approached after seeing footage of a batch of Pakistanis released a few days back on television channels, she again declined to let her brother be interviewed about what she billed as his horrendous experiences across the border.
It is widely believed that the Indian authorities unleash excruciating agonies on the captives, hailing from Pakistan and when at all they are freed, bulk of them, even fails to know where to go from the Wagah border. They often land at the Edhi centres.
On the contrary, those freed from the Pakistani prisons are shown on television usually fit and smiling. The government of Pakistan has occasionally lodged protest mildly with the Indian authorities, therefore, it has failed to stop this inhuman activity so far. This correspondent tried to get comments on this issue from the Foreign Office Spokesman, Muhammad Sadiq, but his cellphone appeared to be switched off.
My brother was held on charges of spying in 1991 along with some other friends. But for years, we could not hear even a word about his whereabouts and well-being. During his absence, my mother died, who missed him so much, the sister said with tears in her eyes. Their father also breathed his last five days after the homecoming of the young man.
She recalled how the whole family had reacted to seeing their brother alive among them but he was mentally paralysed. His hearing ability has also been impaired due to torture by what she called Indian beasts. The unfortunate man also cant talk fluently too.
In early weeks after his release, she said, he used to talk a lot, but in fits, about his 14-year captivity. But in the light of psychiatrists advice, they would always promptly interrupt him to change the topic.
Once, he started trembling with perspiration on his face, while recalling how painful it was, when the Indians would pull his tongue out with pincers in a bid to extract information from him. He was kept in solitary confinement for five years in a cell, in which he was neither able to stand up straight or properly lay down. She also made mention of some of the facts, which he shared with his family: One was about a young man losing one of his kidneys after massive torture inflicted on him. Many compatriots died due to torture in captivity during those years, she said quoting her brother.
Asked how she and her other family members felt when they saw Kashmir Singh being freed as a goodwill gesture in March this year, the unfortunate sister said, It had shocked us, as Pakistanis were never treated like this. This does not mean, we also want the Indians being subjected to the inhuman treatment, but our government must prevail on India to review its torturous policy.
An Indian diplomat, who had met Singh for nationality verification, called him mentally and physically in good condition. He is frustrated about his 35 years in prison, but otherwise he looked quite healthy and mentally too he seems fine. Caretaker Minister Ansar Burney had received him at the jail gate and was driven to a five-star hotel for a night stay before leaving for his homeland.
Singh was arrested in 1973 near Rawalpindi and convicted on charges of spying. He was sentenced to death. However, his first reprieve came in 1977, when his execution was stayed. He was to be executed in 1978 but the order was once again kept in abeyance pending a decision on a mercy petition he had filed.
