Punjab Assembly calls for pardon to Sarabjit

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

The resolution moved by Mr Virsa Singh Valthoha (SAD) and seconded by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal appealed to the Centre 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 early 1990's for his alleged involvement in a bomb blast case in Pakistan, which left several people dead.

It (resolution) also urged all concerned to change 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 added.

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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