IT’S a case of the syndrome from which Pakistan is frequently found to suffer: not taking care when there is time and then trying to patch up matters when they have gone wrong. On Friday, Sarabjit Singh, an Indian spy on death-row in Pakistan, was brutally attacked by fellow inmates at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail. Sustaining critical injuries to the head, he was, at the time of writing, in a coma. Police officials have said that two prisoners have been interrogated — one hopes that even without the victim’s statement the investigation is pursued with all seriousness and that the persons responsible are identified and punished. Indeed, conditions in Pakistani jails are deplorable to say the least. Overcrowding frequently means that petty offenders are made to share the same space with hardened criminals and are thus at risk. Moreover, the smuggling in of arms adds to the danger of jail brawls and attacks on other prisoners. This is an issue that needs to be addressed as part of the overall reform of jails.

However, Sarabjit Singh’s case is different — because it is a high-profile one with political and diplomatic overtones as it involves the citizen of another country. The question that prison authorities must answer is why was Sarabjit Singh not considered a prisoner at risk. Globally, it is fairly standard practice to provide greater security for convicts such as him, who because of the nature of their crime or identity are subjected to the ire of other inmates. Indeed, Singh’s lawyer said the convict had received threats following the execution in India of Afzal Guru who was sentenced to death for an attack on the Indian parliament. The attack on Singh could easily have been prevented had jail authorities been more vigilant. The one positive aspect is that Singh’s family were given prio-rity visas and allowed to see him in hospital. The only way this country can provide them closure is to identify the persons responsible for the attack on their relative and bring them to justice.