Agencies
New Delhi, Mar 19:
Indian national Sarabjit Singh, on death row in Pakistan, on Wednesday got a reprieve as his execution was stayed till April 30. Giving this information in the Lok Sabha, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the government was continuing efforts to save him.
Mukherjee said the Indian High Commission in Islamabad has been informed by Pakistan Foreign Office that President Pervez Musharraf has stayed the execution of Sarabjit Singh by a month, till April 30.
Sarabjit, who has been accused of involvement in bomb blasts, was to be hanged on April one.
"Government of India is continuing its efforts to save the life of Sarabjit Singh. We have achieved partial success and we will continue to carry on our efforts," Mukherjee said..
Pakistan`s caretaker Human Rights Minister Ansar Burney told the media that there was a provision in the Constitution under Article 45 that empowered the President to commute the death sentence to life imprisonment.
The news of the postponed brought instant smiles on the faces of the family members of Sarabjit. His sister Dalbir Kaur thanked the media, members of the government and the opposition for raising the issue at the highest levels with the Pak government. She also expressed her gratitude to millions of countrymen for their constant support. Sarabjit was sentenced to death over a decade ago for his alleged involvement in four bomb blasts in Lahore and Multan that killed 14 people.
His mercy petition was rejected by Musharraf on March 3. But Indian national Kashmir Singh who was arrested on spying charges was recently pardoned and freed after spending 35 years on death row in Pakistani jails.
India on its part released Pakistani national Jamal Qureshi from its jail. Jamal Qureshi has been in spending time in UP jails on charges of peddling a fake note for the past 2 years.
Print This Page
Terms
and Conditions