India asked to explain death of cricket fan
By Our Diplomatic Correspondent

ISLAMABAD—Pakistan has asked India to investigate thoroughly and immediately the causes of death of Pakistani national Khalid Mehmood in Indian jail and intimate Islamabad along with his medical report. Khalid Mehmood, a resident of Lahore district died under mysterious circumstances in Gurgaon jail in the suburb of Delhi on Feb. 12.
An official of Pakistan High Commission while briefing newsmen here said India had refused to provide, despite repeated requests, details of over 500 Pakistani prisoners languishing in Indian jails.
Pakistan High Commission has written letters to Indian External Affairs Ministry for providing consular access to about 200 prisoners but the reply is still awaited. Similarly, High Commission has also sent traveling documents of 150 prisoners for their repatriation to Pakistan but there was no response from Indian side so far, the official said.
The official further said India was requested to provide names and details about 48 Pakistani nationals in jails across Indian Punjab as reported by a section of Indian Press. To-date, there is no response. The High Commission has asked in the latest correspondence with the Indian authorities to immediately probe death of Khalid Mehmood and provide details to Pakistan along with his medical report, the official said.
Pakistan Wednesday expressed deep shock and anger over the death of a Pakistani prisoner in India in mysterious circumstances and asked the Indian government to specify the charges under which the deceased was detained. “We are in contact with the Government of India and have asked them to specify the charges under the which the deceased was detained, explain the circumstances of his death and provide any other relevant information,” said Foreign Office spokesman Muhammad Sadiq in his weekly briefing.
He said that it is regrettable that India did not inform Pakistan’s High Commission in India about the arrest of the deceased Khalid Mehmood as required under the international diplomatic norms in such cases. The spokesman said the Indian authorities did not provide consular access to the High Commission during the custody of late Khalid Mehmood.
He said the High Commission was only informed about the death of Khalid Mehmood on February 13, 2008 by the Indian authorities. The spokesman said as soon as the matter was reported to Pakistan’s High Commission, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs was asked to have the matter thoroughly investigated and to share the outcome and medical report with the Mission.
He said the incident has dampened the goodwill generated by the recent release of the Indian prisoner, Kashmir Singh, and has also negated the spirit of the recent Pak-India agreement on the establishment of a Judicial Committee on Prisoners. “We remind the Indian authorities of their obligation to ensure humane treatment of all Pakistani prisoners in their custody,” said the spokesman.
He said, “Our efforts for early repatriation of Pakistani prisoners will continue.” The spokesman said Pakistan will take further action on the issue of death of Khalid Mehmood in Indian custody after getting details from New Delhi. He however said that Pak-India peace process would continue despite this incident.