Grant clemency to Sarabjit: India to Pakistan

New Delhi, Mar 18: India today appealed to Pakistan to grant Sarabjit Singh, an Indian national in Pakistani custody facing the death sentence, "clemency on humanitarian grounds".

Making a statement in the Lok Sabha during zero hour, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said Indian and Pakistani governments have put in place certain institutional arrangements since his visit to Pakistan in January 2007. These included a new agreement on consular access and a joint Judicial Committee to facilitate the resolution of consular issues.

A delegation of family members of missing Indian defence personnel was also able to visit Pakistan last year.

Pointing out that these initiatives might lead to an improvement of the 'situation for our prisoners,''Mr Mukherjee said," it is in this context and in the same spirit, that we appeal to the government of Pakistan to treat Sarabjit Singh's case with clemency on humanitarian grounds." The Minister said the government had received no formal initimation from the government of Pakistan with regard to the reported rejection of mercy petition of Sarabjit by the Pakistan President.

However, with the press reporting the issuance of a black warrant against Sarabjit and his execution slated for April one this year, the Indian High Commission in Islamabad had sought details from the Pakistani government.

Mr Mukherjee said the Supreme Court of Pakistan, in a judgement on August 18, 2005, had upheld the award of death sentence to Sarabjit for causing explosions at various places in Pakistan.

At the instance of the Indian government, consular access was provided to Sarabjit for the first time on August 30, 2005, to the Indian High Commission. Thereafter, his national status was confirmed.

He said a review petition against the death sentence was also filed in the apex court of Pakistan. The petition was, however, dismissed by the court in March 2006.

A mercy petition was thereafter filed with the President of Pakistan which now, according to news reports, has been turned down, Mr Mukherjee said, while pointing out that "throughout this period, the Indian Government continued to urge the Pakistan Government to take a sympathetic and humanitarian view of this case."

UNI