Amir Mir

Islamabad: The death of a Pakistani national in an Indian jail is likely to strain the relations between the two countries. The aggrieved family of Khalid Mahmood, backed by the government, has filed an application at Batapur Police Station, Lahore, seeking registration of a murder case against the Indian officials who allegedly tortured him to death.

Fateh Mahmood Sadiq, elder brother of Khalid who died in India on February 12, has submitted an application to Batapur Police to register a murder case against the authorities at the Bhondsi jail in Gurgaon district and the higher-ups in the Indian interior ministry “who are responsible for Khalid’s death”.

The application,which is likely to be converted into an FIR by Lahore Police, mentions that Khalid had told Fateh during his India visit a few months ago that he was being subjected to brutal torture and could be killed.

“We have been further advised by the Pakistani authorities to take up the case on international forums of justice and with human rights organisations as the federal government had already conveyed its resentment over the tragic death of Khalid to the Indian authorities,” Fateh said.

Asked how Lahore Police could proceed against the Indian officials, he said it was now the responsibility of the Pakistan government to approach India and seek legal action against the officials responsible for the death of its citizen.

He said the Pakistani authorities had shown willingness to officially take up the issue once an elected government is installed at the Centre.

Pakistani foreign office spokesman Mohammad Sadiq had said on Wednesday the death of Khalid in the custody of the Indian police had dampened the goodwill between the two countries generated by the recent release of Indian prisoner Kashmir Singh who was pardoned by president Pervez Musharraf.

Source : DNA