INOC stages protest over Sarabjit Singh outside Pak Consulate in NY

NEW YORK: Members of Indian National Overseas Congress have staged a demonstration outside the Pakistani Consulate here to protest against the brutal killing of Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh.

The rally held under tight police protection was presided over by Shudh Parkash Singh, senior vice president of Indian National Overseas Congress ( INOC), with the members raising slogans against Pakistan government for about two and a half hours.

Protesters held placards that read, "Pak should respect International Law"; "Punish murders of Sarabjit"; "Killing Sarabjit is killing humanity".

Addressing the gathering, Singh said, the killing of Sarabjit has derailed the friendship fostered between the two countries and Pakistani Government should take complete responsibility of state-sponsored killing of a prisoner lodged in jail.

There are hundreds of Indian fishermen captured and kept in Pakistani prisons and we seek protection and early release of innocents, he said.

"Pakistan's human rights violations should be taken to the UN," Singh said.

Sarabjit, 49, succumbed to injuries last week after a brutal assault by inmates of Kot Lakhpat Jail. He was hit on the head with bricks and cut with knives fashioned from spoons.