Live: Pakistan agrees to hand over Sarabjit Singh’s body, say sources

Indian death row prisoner Sarabjit Singh died of cardiac arrest in a Lahore hospital in the wee hours on Thursday after being comatose for nearly a week following a brutal assault by other inmates of a high-security jail.

Sarabjit’s death has angered the nation and political parties have demanded strict action against Pakistan.

12:45 PM: Pakistan police slap murder charges against Sarabjit Singh’s attackers

9:15 am: Indian High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal is expected to meet the Chief Minister of Pakistan’s Punjab province at 11:00 am to work out the modalities of bringing back Sarabjit’s body.

9:10 am: Sarabjit’s body likely to be flown back in a special helicopter.

9:10 am: Pakistan sources say Islamabad has agreed to hand over Sarabjit Singh’s body to his family.

8:45 am: Four member medical team to conduct Sarabjit Singh’s post-mortem.

8:35 am: The death of Sarabjit Singh is “the killing of our citizen while in the custody of Pakistan jail authorities”, says the External Affairs Ministry.

8:30 am: Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde meets Sarabjit Singh’s family and assures them that government is trying its best to bring back his body.

8:10 am: BJP’s Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi says Sarabjit’s death has angered the nation.

8:00 am: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal demands independent probe into Sarabjit’s death, says he would be given a state-level funeral after his body is brought back to Punjab.

7:50 am: Criminals responsible for the barbaric and murderous attack on Sarabjit must be brought to justice, demands PM.

7:50 am: PM regrets that Pakistan did not heed pleas of India and Sarabjit’s family for taking a humanitarian view in this case.

7:50 am: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expresses sadness over passing away of Sarabjit Singh.

3:30 am: Sarabjit should be declared a martyr, demands family.

2:00 am: Sarabjit Singh’s death occurred at 1:00 am Pakistani time, says head of medical board.

1:55 am: Sarabjit Singh is dead, confirms head of medical board supervising his treatment.

1:50 am: Indian convict Sarabjit Singh is dead, say Pakistani TV channels but no official word on it.