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Sarabjit's family arrive in Pakistan

Kashmir Times. Dated: 4/29/2013 12:42:03 AM

LAHORE, Apr 28(Agencies): The family of Sarabjit Singh arrived in Pakistan on Sunday to meet the convicted Indian spy who is battling for his life after being assaulted allegedly by fellow inmates in the Kot Lakhpat prison.
Media reported that the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi has issued 15-day gratis visas to 4-members of Sarabjit's family his wife Sukhpreet Kaur, sister Dalbir Kaur, and daughters Poonam and Swapandeep Kaur to meet the Indian prisoner who is in a coma and on ventilator at the Jinnah Hospital, Lahore.
Sarabjit Singh, who was sentenced to death 16 years ago on espionage charges, was rushed to the Jinnah Hospital on Friday with multiple wounds, including a severe head injury, after his fellow inmates hit him with bricks, following an altercation.
Sarabjit was arrested following a bomb blast in Lahore in 1990 that had killed 14 people. Subsequently, he was convicted of espionage and sentenced to death by a court.
Earlier, gour members of Sarabjit Singh's family today crossed over to Pakistan from the Attari-Wagah border to meet the death row convict who is battling for life in Lahore hospital after being brutally assaulted by jail inmates.
The family of Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh appealed to the authorities in Pakistan to allow him to come to India for treatment.
"I've come to visit my brother, who is seriously injured and not speaking. I've been told he is in a coma," she said.She said she had come with the "love and prayers of crores of Indians" and brought along "prashad" from the Golden Temple that she would give to her brother.
Sarabjit's wife Sukhpreet Kaur, daughters Poonam and Swapandeep and sister Dalbir, crossed over through the Attari-Wagah border at around 1305 hours.
Dalbir Kaur told reporters at the border that the family was carrying the best wishes of millions of Indians with them and hoped their prayers will be answered and Sarabjit will get well soon.
"I want to thank all the Indians who are praying for Sarabjit. That is why we have succeeded in getting the visa. I appeal to the Pakistan government to please allow him to come India for treatment. I am going with this hope that he will happily come back home," she said.
Poonam and Swapandeep said they were hopeful of their 49-year-old father's early recovery."Millions of Indians are praying for our father. We had been trying for a visa for quite some time to meet him, but we did not know that we will have to travel to meet him in such circumstances," Swapandeep said hoping that he would recover very soon and be back in India.