Islamabad: A Pakistani who went to India to watch a cricket match in 2005 but was later arrested and died in an Indian prison was found with "sensitive documents" and was not tortured, Indian Government said on Thursday.
Pakistan said on Wednesday that it had asked India to explain why the man, Khalid Mehmood, was arrested and died in “mysterious circumstances” in an Indian prison on February 12.
Mehmood's body was sent back to Pakistan on Monday. One of his brothers told Reuters that Mehmood had lost his passport while in India for the cricket match and was later arrested and accused of being a spy.
Indian authorities had not informed the family of how Mehmood had died but his body bore signs of torture, the brother said. Indian High Commission in Islamabad said in a statement that Mehmood was arrested on May 17, 2006, more than a year after his four-day cricket visa had expired.
"Sensitive documents were recovered from Mr Mehmood's possession, which he was carrying to Delhi to deliver to some persons who were travelling to Pakistan," the High Commission said.
It did not elaborate on the nature of the documents. Mehmood developed an abdominal complaint and had been transferred to a top hospital for treatment but died, the High Commission said.
"It is emphasised that no torture was inflicted upon Mr Mehmood while he was a pre-trial prisoner," it said.
Politicising the case and suppressing the facts would only increase the anguish for his bereaved family, the High Commission said. "Someone must explain why he disappeared and what the real purpose of his travel was," it said.
A Pakistan spokesman said on Wednesday while Pakistan was seeking a thorough investigation, the case would not affect a peace process the neighbours launched in early 2004.
As part of the peace process, both sides began sending cricket teams to each other's country and thousands of fans have travelled back and fourth to watch the teams clash since then.
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