A perplexing new development has emerged in the case of the assassination of underworld don Amir Sarfaraz, also known as Sarfaraz Tamba. A senior Pakistani police officer has claimed that contrary to reports of his death, Sarfaraz is alive and in critical condition. Meanwhile, a Pakistani government minister has implicated India in the incident.
It is known that Sarabjit Singh, an Indian national imprisoned in Pakistan, was murdered in 2013. Hafiz Saeed's ally, Amir Sarfaraz Tamba strangled and brutally assaulted Sarabjit to death at Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail. Sarfaraz himself was reportedly shot on Sunday by unknown assailants in Pakistan. However, a police official from Punjab province now contests the narrative by asserting that Sarfaraz Tamba is, in fact, alive.
Close aide to Lashkar-e-Taiba's founder Hafiz Saeed, Tamba was attacked at his residence in Sanat Nagar by motorcycle-borne assailants. Rushed to the hospital in a grave condition, it was widely believed he succumbed to his injuries. However, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Lahore, Syed Ali Raza, informed the publication Dawn that Tamba, while critically wounded, is still among the living. Intriguingly, the officer did not disclose the whereabouts of Tamba's ongoing treatment.
No Comment from Police Spokesperson
In the wake of the officer's statement, attempts to seek a comment from Lahore police spokesperson Farhan Shah were met with denial due to the sensitive nature of the case.
Assassination Patterns Point to India: Home Minister
Amidst this intrigue, Pakistan's Home Minister Mohsin Naqvi casts suspicion on India's involvement in Sarfaraz Tamba's murder on Monday.
Addressing the media, he suggested that India's direct involvement in recent assassination events is being investigated by the police. While he cautioned against premature conclusions at this stage, he expressed doubts about India's involvement given the similarity in patterns observed in past murders.
FIR Registered Against Two Unknown Assailants
It has been reported that on Sunday afternoon, two unidentified attackers shot Tamba at his home in the affluent area of old Lahore's Sanat Nagar. Images of Tamba's blood-soaked corpse were circulated widely on social media. Based on the complaint from Sarfaraz Tamba's younger brother, Junaid Sarfaraz, FIR has been registered against the unknown assailants.
According to the FIR, Junaid stated that he and his brother Amir, who was approximately 40 years old, were at their residence in Sanat Nagar during the time of the attack.
A Ruthless Attack That Rekindled a Decade-Old Vendetta
In 2013, Sarfaraz Tamba and his accomplice Mudasir attacked Sarabjit, who was serving a death sentence at Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail, resulting in Sarabjit's untimely death. In 2018, Lahore Sessions Court acquitted Sarabjit's murderers, citing lack of evidence.
Accidental Border Crosser
Sarabjit Singh, who accidentally crossed into Pakistani territory in 1990 and was convicted for involvement in a series of bomb explosions in Punjab province, always claimed innocence. A hailing farmer from a village in Tarn Taran district near the India-Pakistan border, Sarabjit's family in India maintains that he was not a criminal but a victim of misidentification.
Sarabjit's Sister's Untiring Struggle for Justice
In a heartfelt letter written from prison, Sarabjit stated, 'I am a poor farmer, and my arrest was due to mistaken identity. One night, in an inebriated state, I unwittingly crossed the border and was brutally beaten upon capture. I couldn't even see who was beating me. I was chained and blindfolded.' His sister, Dalbir Kaur, engaged in a drawn-out battle for his release from Pakistan, which unfortunately ended in despair.
