Foreign Secretary Rao expects satisfactory outcome on release of jailed Pak doctor

Onboard special flight to Islamabad, June 23 (ANI): Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, who is visiting Islamabad for two days for talks with her Pakistan counterpart Salman Bashir, said on Thursday that all efforts are being made to secure the release jailed Pakistani national Dr. Mohammed Khaleel Chisty.

Speaking to mediapersons accompanying her to Islamabad, Rao said: "We are in touch with the Government of Rajasthan for release of Dr. Chisty. The Rajasthan Government is siezed of the matter. We expect a satisfactory outcome."

Rao's statement on Dr. Chisty comes days after the Rajasthan Government forwarded its decision on a mercy petition filed by the 80-year-old Pakistani national, who has been lodged in a Rajasthan jail for past 20 years in connection with a murder case.

The plight of Dr. Chisty hogged headlines in India after Supreme Court Judge Justice Markandey Katju, in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, had appealed for his release on humanitarian grounds.

The Rajasthan Government had forwarded the decision of the state Governor who accepted the clemency petition filed by Dr Chishty and remitted his remaining sentence.

It may be noted here that the Pakistan Government had released Gopal Das who was languishing in Pakistan jail for over 27 years on the appeal of Indian Supreme Court. The appeal was made by a bench comprising Justices Markandey Katju and Gyan Sudha Misra.

The Indian Government is also likely to accept the appeal of Justice Katju to permit Dr Chishty to go back to Pakistan. Dr Chishty was convicted in a murder case in 1991. By Smita Prakash (ANI)