New Delhi, Apr 18: With Sarabjit Singh's execution date nearing, India today made a fresh appeal to Pakistan to show mercy to the "unfortunate human being" on humanitarian grounds.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee hoped clemency would be shown to Sarabjit who has been in a Pakistani jail since 1990.

"I would appeal to the authorities in Pakistan to show clemency" to Sarabjit, Mukherjee said in a statement to media as the date of hanging of the Indian national drew nearer.

"Whatever the legal position may be, on humanitarian grounds alone, I would hope that mercy could be shown to this unfortunate human being," he said.

Sarabjit has been sentenced to death in connection with 1990 bomb blasts in Lahore and was to be hanged on April one. The hanging was, however, put off by a month after India made an appeal to Pakistan government.

The fresh appeal came as Indian authorities in Pakistan established contact with Pakistan's new government and were hopeful that clemency will be given to him.

Sarabjit's family has been insisting that Sarabjit's case was that of mistaken identity and hence should be granted clemency.

Sarabjit's family members will be travelling to Pakistan, expectedly on Sunday, to appeal to Pakistani leaders to grant him clemency.

India had earlier on March 18 appealed to Pakistan to show mercy to him on humanitarian grounds.

Official sources in Islamabad said the Indian government had taken up Sarabjit's case with the new coalition government led by the Pakistan People's Party shortly after it assumed office last month.

"The Pakistan government is aware that there is cross-party support in India for the plea for clemency for Sarabjit. Though there are no indications as yet from the Pakistan government, we are hopeful that he will be shown clemency," a source told news agency in Islamabad.

Sarabjit's Pakistani lawyer Rana Abdul Hamid is expected to make another appeal for clemency to the new government.

Pakistani human rights activist Ansar Burney, who was recently in India and met Sarabjit's family, has also promised to take up his case and make effort to save him if he is "innocent".

Sarabjit's hanging deferred by a month: Report

New Delhi: A TV report quoting sources has stated that Indian prisoner in Pakistan Sarabjit Singh's hanging has been deferred by a month. Sarabjit's hanging has been deferred under the purview of a Pakistani law that allows the President to give a death convict three one-month extensions, the TV report added.