Incidentally, although both the hangings were related to Pakistan in one way or the other, they did not attract much attention in Pakistan, whether at the government or at the public level. (Even the attack on Sanaullah, a Pakistani prisoner in a Jammu jail, did not attract much notice, although the Foreign Office, of course, was forced to comment on it.) Newspapers only single-columned the hangings on their back pages. But the response to the hangings in India was in complete contrast: leaders and workers of some political parties cheered on hearing of the executions; some TV clips showed them thrusting sweets into each other’s mouths in celebration. Another event which is resulting in much hyperventilation in India is the death of Sarabjit Singh in a Pakistani prison: he was done to death by fellow inmates on death row, hardly the sort to worry about being brought to justice, as the Indian prime minister has demanded. Of course, there’s no excuse for any prisoner being killed by fellow prisoners. Sarabjit’s jailors are as responsible for his death as are Sanaullah’s for the attack on him. But such laxity is part of life in both India and Pakistan, which cannot and should not go to war over such slackness. I can also understand and appreciate the reactions of Sarabjit’s family, for his wife lived virtually like a widow for more than two decades and his daughters hardly saw him. And it’s the Indian government’s job to protest, as an Indian inmate has been killed in cold blood in a Pakistani jail. But what’s the Indian media getting so much into a tizzy about? For Sarabjit was convicted for being involved in terrorism, just like Kasab. His case was reviewed twice by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The brave lawyer who was following his case wept like a child when he met Sarabjit’s sister, who was allowed into Pakistan when he was critical. I wonder if any Indian lawyer would have been so bold in Kasab’s defence. Leave alone Kasab’s case, even Guru was convicted chiefly due to bad legal representation.