Family optimistic about Sarabjit’s early release

Tuesday, October 7, 2008 at 4:10 am

The family of Sarabjit Singh, who is on a death row in Pakistan, today (Oct 7) said they were extremely happy over positive signals emanating from the neighbouring country and were hopeful of his early release.

“Pakistan’s Law Minister Farooq Naek’s meeting with Sarabjit at the Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore has rekindled new hopes among family members,” Sarabjit’s sister Dalbir Kaur said.

After meeting Sarabjit, who is languishing for more than 17 years in the prison, Naek said he had sought his file from the Jail Superintendent to study the case.

“After the meeting, I and Sarabjit’s daughter Swapandeep had telephonic conversations with Fadrullah Babbar, a member of ruling Pakistan People’s Party, who assured us of positive outcome in the case,” Kaur said.

Swapandeep said Babbar had told her that if everything went well, her father would be with her soon.

Kaur said Sarabjit’s wife and the other daughter were also extremely happy at “positive signals” emanating from Islamabad with regard to the case.

She said the family would soon seek a meeting with UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and request them to facilitate Sarabjit’s early release.

“If Sarabjit walks to freedom, it will be a big moment not just for our family and our Bikhiwind village in Amritsar district, but also for the entire country,” Kaur said.

Naek said India has provided a list of over 100 Pakistani prisoners lodged in its jails.

“I will take up the issue and ask Indian authorities to send them back to Pakistan. The Pakistan People’s Party government will take up their cases so that they can return to their near and dear ones,” he added.

Asked if Sarabjit would be released if India freed the Pakistani prisoners, Naek replied: “I don’t have these powers. I can only study (Sarabjit’s) case and submit a recommendation and a report on humanitarian grounds. The final decision will be made by the Prime Minister and the President.”

Naek said the repatriation of Pakistani prisoners from India would lead to the “promotion of human rights, peace and love” between the two countries.

He said “it would be a good action on the part of India if it expatriates Pakistani prisoners and their trial can take place in Pakistan. Or if they are convicted, they can serve their sentence here because they can be with their dear ones and family members.”

Asked whether Sarabjit, convicted for alleged involvement in bombings, should be freed at a time when Pakistan has been hit by a wave of bomb attacks, Naek said, “Bomb attacks have their own place and humanitarian considerations have their own place. No final decision has been made. Let us see what happens. We will consider this issue calmly and with a cool head.”

Sarabjit, whom Pakistani authorities say is Manjit Singh, has been on death row since he was convicted for alleged involvement in four bomb attacks that killed 14 people in Punjab province in 1990. Sarabjit’s family insists that he was wrongly convicted for the attacks.

Sarabjit was originally set to be hanged on April 1 and his execution was initially deferred for 30 days by former President Pervez Musharraf. This was done so that the new PPP-led government could review his case following India’s appeal for clemency.

Pakistan’s Supreme Court and Musharraf had earlier turned down Sarabjit’s mercy petitions.

After Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani intervened in the matter, Pakistani authorities put off Sarabjit’s execution “till further orders”.

Sarabjit Singh’s sister Dalbir Kaur said that after Naek’s meeting she and his daughter Swapandeep talked over phone with Fadrullah Babbar, a key member of ruling PPP who assured us of “positive outcome” in the whole case.

Swapandeep said that Babbar had also talked to her and assured him that if all goes well her father could be with her in future.

Dalbir said that Sarabjit’s wife and younger daughter were also very happy at the “positive signals” emanating from the authorities across the border with regard to Sarabjit’s case.

Dalbir said the family would soon seek a meeting with UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee in Delhi soon “so that the Indian Government again takes up Sarabjit’s issue with Pakistan”.

(PTI)

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

Family optimistic about Sarabjit’s early release

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