London : As tensions appear to ease between India and Pakistan following a series of diplomatic "goodwill gestures" during cricket World Cup, both countries have authorized a series of prisoner releases. So what were conditions like for those incarcerated and is there any hope for thosestill detained?
Riaz Awan - a cameraman who interviewed Pakistani nationals released by India early this month told BBC that many were "mentally scarred by their experiences and in poor physical condition. Of 39 who were released, I would estimate that 31 had no family members to collect them when they arrived in Lahore to be picked up."
"Some of them were in such a bad mental state that they were talking incoherently. Those who were capable of talking told me of harsh conditions inside Indian jails. They said that they were often given dirty water to drink and food served to them was often inedible. Some complained of being violently treated by Indian guards - one man showed me gaps in his teeth from what he said was the result of one such assault."
Riaz Awan said many of prisoners complained of not having access to proper medical facilities - some even complained that they were suffering from tuberculosis. At least two prisoners told Awan they weremade to remain inside jail even though terms of their original sentencing had long since expired. One prisoner - who identified himself only as Yasin from Multan - said he had been sentenced to six years yet his release was only permitted after serving 21 years.
Another man, Abdul Samad said he was sentenced to seven months in jail yet ended up serving more than four years. "The other point many of those released made very strongly to me was what they said was complete indifference of Pakistan government to their plight," Awan said.
Meanwhile, Indian national Gopal Das recently released by Pakistan after serving 27 years on spying charges in a statement through his advocate Arvind Kumar Sharma said while it was wonderful to be backhome, if Indian government had acted sooner, he would have been freed much earlier. "Indian governmentconsistently failed to take any initiate on behalf of Indian prisoners lodged in Pakistan jails," he said. "I think this is because they do not want to admit involvement of any Indians in spying cases. That is why in many cases they do not even admit that accused person is an Indian citizen. That makes it very hard to secure release of those still serving in Pakistani jails." PPI
