Punjab assembly calls for pardon to Sarabjit

Chabdigarh, Mar 10 (UNI) The Punjab assembly today unanimiously adopted a resolution calling for commuting the death sentence of Sarabjit Singh, the Indian prisoner who is on a death row in a Pakistani jail.

The resolution moved by Virsa Singh Valthoha (SAD) and seconded by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal appealed to the Union Government to take up the issue of Sarabjit's release with the government of Pakistan. Sarabjit, a resident of Valtoha area in Tarn Taran district was sentenced to death in the early 1990's for his alleged involvement in a bomb blast case in Pakistan which left several people dead.

The resolution appealed to all concerened to commute the death sentence and pardon Sarabjit on humanitarian grounds. " The same compassion should be shown towards Sarabjit as was shown while releasing Kashmir Singh, another Indian prisoner who was granted pardon and sent back home ( to India) last week", the resolution stated.

Mr Valthoha while moving the resolution pointed to recent reports that Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf had rejected the mercy petition of Sarabjit.

Leader of the Opposition Rajinder Kaur Bhattal supported the resolution which was then passed by the House.

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