Burney's visit raises hopes of Sarabjit Singh's family

By Ravinder Singh Robin

Bhikhiwind (Punjab), April 2 : Former Pakistan Human Rights Minister Ansar Burney on Wednesday visited Sarabjit Singh's family at his ancestral village at Bhikhiwind .

Emotions run high when family members of Sarabjit Singh got an opportunity to meet Pakistan's prominent right activist Burney who visited their house along with his wife Shaheen Burney.

Not only Sarabjit's family was waiting for Burney but the whole village gathered to shows their solidarity with the family of Sarabjit Singh who has been facing death sentence in Pakistan on the charges of involvement in the killing of 14 Pakistani in explosions across that country.

Burney stayed there for 45 minutes and spoke with several persons including Sarabjit Singh's friends.

Dalbir Kaur, Sarabjit's sister handed copies of Sarabjit's ration card, voter list, bank passbook, driving license, police report about disappearance of Sarabjit a CD of Pakistani national Salim Shaukat, who in one of the interview with a private TV channel had admitted that he was forced to give witness against Sarabjit Singh.

While assuring the family members of Sarbjit Singh, Burney said that he would be talking to Rana Abdul Hameed, counsel of Sarabjit Singh to discuss his case before submitting his summary to President Pervez Musharraf urging clemency for Sarabjit Singh.

Family members of as many as half a dozen Indians including prisoners of war from Sirsa, Jammu and many other places met Burney and urged him for helping them in locating their loved ones who has been languishing in various jails of Pakistan.

Nirmal kaur whose husband was arrested by Pakistani army in 1971 war in Jammu sector said that government should set up a joint committee of both countries for the early release of prisoners who had completed their sentences. Burney also spoke with them and assured for help.

ANI