Mentally Ill British Grandfather in Pakistani Prison Is at Risk Because of Official 'Cover-Up'

Mohammed Asghar, a mentally ill British grandfather imprisoned in Pakistan, has already suffered a shooting in the country's notorious Adiala maximum security jail. Now, his lawyers say his life is at risk because authorities are refusing to release his medical records and details of an official investigation into the attack.

The 70-year-old from Edinburgh, who was given a death sentence for blasphemy in Pakistan in 2010, was shot two weeks ago while on death row in the Rawalpindi facility.

Authorities in Punjab province have refused requests by Asghar's lawyers to access the findings of an investigation into the shooting, as well as information relating to medical assessments of him following the incident.

Lawyers for Asghar, who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, have long argued that his death sentence is illegal on the grounds of his mental illness. They believe the medical records could support their arguments and help secure his release.

Kate Higham, who is part of Asghar's Pakistan legal team and is an investigator with death row charity Reprieve, told VICE News: "The idea that the Pakistan authorities are withholding evidence that could be relevant to proving that he could be mentally ill is absolutely appalling. The evidence is absolutely incontrovertible. We have a legal right to access all his medical records."

"At this stage we just don't believe that he will be kept safe if he is kept where he is."

While nobody has ever been executed for blasphemy in Pakistan, many accused have been attacked or killed by extremists.

Higham told VICE News: "In Pakistan you're statistically more likely to be assassinated than executed if you're accused of blasphemy."

Referring to an official investigation into Asghar's shooting while he was held in prison, she said: "What we want to understand is how a guard was able to get to what was supposed to be a secure area of the prison when Mr Asghar was supposed to be provided with extra security, and carry out this attack."

"It would be extremely useful in terms of us trying to ensure that his security was maintained. the fact that Pakistan authorities won't give us this information really leads us to question whether they have something to hide."

On Friday Asghar's daughter Jasmine will deliver a petition of almost 70,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street, calling on Prime Minister David Cameron to do all he can to bring Asghar home to the UK.

The family met Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond earlier on Thursday to ask him to urge the Cameron to intervene in the case.

Earlier this year a report by the US commission on International Religious Freedom — a government advisory panel  — said there were 14 people on death row in Pakistan and 19 others serving life sentences for blasphemy.

In May this year Pakistani lawyer Rashid Rehman was murdered after taking on a blasphemy case.

Follow Ben Bryant on Twitter: @benbryant