Wagah, June 4
An Indian High Commission staffer at Islamabad, Mr Kulwant Singh, was not allowed to return today to India for the treatment of his injuries sustained during the torture after his kidnapping by ISI operatives on June 1.
According to a high official of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), who pleaded anonymity, the injured Indian staffer, who was being brought to India from Islamabad on an ambulance along with his family (including two children) was stopped 50 km away from Lahore by the Pakistani police and intelligence sleuths. What is worse, they (the Indian staffer and his family) had to wait for the final nod by the Government of Pakistan for more than three hours in the scorching heat on the roadside itself.
A spokesman of MEA told mediapersons at Wagah that Mr Kulwant Singh was expected to reach here by afternoon, but when asked as to why the staffer was stopped by the Pakistan police on his way to India he refused to divulge the details.
Interestingly, the mediapersons had been waiting for Mr Kulwant Singh to reach Wagah since yesterday. The Indian side had arranged two highly equipped ambulances and a wheel chair at the Wagah checkpost. MEA officials were regularly briefing the head office about the latest developments on the well-being of Mr Kulwant Singh.
The spokesman said that Mr Kulwant Singh might reach India either via Dubai or through Wagah border in the coming days. The MEA official alleged that the Indian staffer was not given proper treatment at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Science — the only premier government referral facility at Islamabad.
It may be mentioned here that the Pakistan authorities had detained four Indians on charges of alleged espionage on June 3 with an aim to defame India at the world level. After the abduction and torture of Mr Kulwant Singh Pakistan had alleged that the four Indians were caught in Cholistan desert region in central Punjab province (Pakistan) and seized sensitive documents as a part of defamation campaign against India.
ISLAMABAD (PTI): Amid simmering military and political tensions, India lodged a strong protest with Pakistan on Tuesday for preventing its staffer, Mr Kulwant Singh, who sustained serious injuries during his detention three days ago by Pakistani officials, to be taken to India by road for urgent medical treatment.
