The lawyer of Sarabjit Singh, who is on death row in a Pakistani prison, on Saturday said the Taliban had threatened to kill him for pursuing the case.
Awais Sheikh said a letter written by an anonymous activist of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had warned his wife to stop her husband from pursuing the case.
He said the letter read, “I belong to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and I am a resident of Faisalabad district. I want to tell you that your husband is representing the case of Sarabjit Singh, who is responsible for killing my whole family in a bomb blast.”
“Your husband is addressing a press conference about Sarabjit Singh. If this is held, it would be the last day of your husband and every single member of your family will be killed. You will find bodies of your children by Sunday morning.”
“I know your children. I will kidnap them and will send their bodies to you. If you want your children to live, refrain from doing this.”
Sheikh claimed he was barred from holding a planned news conference at the Lahore Press Club (LPC) to launch his book on Sarabjit. “My son also received a threatening call from an anonymous person. I will lodge a complaint with police and seek security,” Sheikh told the Press Trust of India.
He said that when he reached the press club, he was informed by its administration that the news conference could not be held as there was a ‘security threat’.
Former Supreme Court Bar Association president Hamid Khan, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Director IA Rehman were also present to attend the news conference. They condemned the LPC’s decision to obstruct the news conference.
