Islamabad, May 2 (IANS): Pakistan will hand over the body of Sarabjit Singh, an Indian prisoner who died Thursday in a Lahore hospital, to the Indian High Commission at the earliest, said the ministry of foreign affairs.

"Indian prisoner, Sarabjit Singh who was hospitalized on April 26, following injuries sustained during a scuffle with fellow inmates, expired early this morning at Jinnah Hospital, Lahore," said a statement uploaded on the website of the foreign affairs ministry.

"The prisoner, who had been in a comatose state and on a ventilator for the last few days, was being provided the best treatment available and the medical staff at Jinnah Hospital had been working round the clock since his hospitalization to save his life. However, despite their best efforts, they could not save him and Sarabjit Singh passed away due to cardiac arrest," it added.

The foreign ministry said that the government of Pakistan, "which had been providing all assistance to the family of Sarabjit Singh as well as to the Indian authorities since the occurrence of this unfortunate incident, will continue to facilitate for the early completion of all formalities and hand over the mortal remains of the prisoner to the Indian High Commission at the earliest possible".