Pakistani diplomats who visited the critically injured Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah early on Saturday — after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) granted consular access — were pessimistic about his chances of pulling through.
Unlike in the case of Sarabjit Singh, when Islamabad dithered and then gave access to Indian diplomats to visit him at the Jinnah Hospital in Lahore, MEA’s permission came at a faster clip.
Pakistani diplomats first looked up Sanaullah at 3 a.m at the PGI, Chandigarh. They then met the doctors treating him for several injuries on his skull, eye, jaw and shoulder.
“The doctors have given a very pessimistic prognosis and ruled out his medical evacuation to Pakistan,” said Pakistan High Commission press official Manzoor Memon.
“He was subjected to multiple assaults of unspeakable savagery in a Jammu jail, which is a matter of deep concern,” he added.
On life support
When the diplomats visited him again, Sanaullah was still on life support.
Another Pakistani diplomat wanted to know why Indian TV channels were silent on the assault that took place a few hours after the Central government issued a circular asking prisons where Pakistanis were lodged, to strengthen security for them.
Pakistani diplomats had been given consular access to Sanaullah once a day and they would be briefed by doctors twice a day on his condition, said MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin. There was no change in his condition, Mr. Akbaruddin added.
