Sarabjit's sister was aware that brother may be set free

Amritsar, Dec 17 (UNI) Dalbir Kaur, sister of Sarabjit Singh, the condemned Indian prisoner in a Pakistan jail today claimed that she was aware that the Pakistan government might release her brother on January 11 next year, to coincide with the Eid celebrations.

''I was aware of this as the External Affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee had told me that the Pakistan government might release Sarabjit next month'', she said while refering to her meeting with Mr Mukherjee in New Delhi during Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri's private visit to the Indian capital.

''I was told to keep this news a secret, for reasons best known to the ministers of the two countries'', she said while talking to UNI here.'' However the news seems to have been leaked out'', she said refering to a report in a Pakistani newspaper which quoted official sources as saying the condemned prisoner would be released on Eid next month.

Ms Dalbir Kaur had even met Mr Kasuri during his Delhi visit and had brought up the subject of Sarabjit's release from Kot Lakhpat jail in Pakistan where he is awating execution in connection with a series of bomb explosions there in the early 1990's. His death sentence in one of the cases has been upheld by the Pak Supreme Court and his second clemency petition is before the Pak President Gen Pervez Musharraf.

Gen Musharraf had on his part gone on record to state that he is a compassionate man and would apply his mind to the mercy petition when it comes up before him. The General is yet to take a decision on the petition.

Ms Dalbir Kaur claimed that she was told at Delhi that documents pertaining to her brother's release would be sent to India by the Pakistan government very soon. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh too had taken up the matter of Sarabjit's release with the Pakistan government this year.

Ms Dalbir Kaur, who has all along maintained that her brothers conviction was a case of mistaken identity, said her brother's lawyer in Pakistan, Abdul Hamid Rana had spoken to her yesterday.

''However Rana has refused to comment on the new report'', she added.

Meanwhile, sweets were distributed in Sarabjit's native village Bhikiwind by his wife Sukhpreet and two daughters Swapandeep and Poonam following the news in a Pakistani daily. The three, who have made persistent appeals for Sarabjit's release, are over joyed with the news and eagerly awaiting his return.

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