LAHORE, Pakistan – Pakistani authorities are investigating the recent shooting death of a man acquitted of killing accused Indian spy Sarabjit Singh in a Lahore prison in 2013, a police official confirmed Sunday.
The deceased man, Amir Tamba, was a suspect in the death of Sarabjit Singh, an Indian national who was convicted of espionage in Pakistan and sentenced to death in 1991. Singh tragically died in 2013 after being attacked by fellow inmates inside a Lahore prison, sparking further tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors in South Asia.
Tamba, along with another man, faced trial for Singh’s death but were acquitted in 2018 due to a lack of evidence. Following Tamba’s acquittal, his life was cut short when gunmen entered his home in Lahore and shot him. The assailants quickly fled the scene on a motorbike, prompting officials from Pakistan’s army and intelligence agency to arrive at Tamba’s residence and transport his body to the city’s Combined Military Hospital.
According to Deputy Inspector General of Police Ali Nasir Rizvi, a case has been filed against the unidentified attackers, although no further details were disclosed regarding the motive behind the attack. The episode received minimal coverage in Pakistani media, while Indian outlets reported the incident promptly. Despite this, Indian authorities refrained from issuing an immediate response.
Sarabjit Singh’s arrest in 1990 stemmed from his alleged involvement in bombings in Lahore and Faisalabad that resulted in the deaths of 14 individuals. Despite his family’s claims of his innocence, Singh’s fate became a flashpoint in the already contentious relationship between India and Pakistan.
Recent accusations from the United States and Canada also implicated Indian agents in various plots, with India denying any involvement in the alleged assassination attempts. In response to these accusations, India’s foreign ministry established a committee to investigate the claims, emphasizing the gravity of the situation and reaffirming its commitment to non-violence in international relations.
This incident underscores the ongoing tensions and complex dynamics at play in the Indo-Pakistani relationship, which continue to shape regional politics and security in South Asia.