Sarabjit receives death warrant in Pak; hopes alive

Indian national Sarabjit Singh, who is languishing in Lahore prison for the last 17 years on charge of spying and his alleged involvement in four bomb blasts in Pakistan in 1990 has received death warrant. He will be hanged on April 1 as the reports stated.

As per the Pakistani media reports, authorities at Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore has received death warrants for Sarabjit Singh, who Pakistan claims is Manjit Singh will be executed on April 1.

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However, there is no official confirmation on the development has been reported.

The mercy petition of Sarabjit was turned down by President Pervez Musharraf on March 3. Pakistan’s Supreme Court, too, had rejected Sarabjit’s plea for clemency in March 2006.

Meanwhile, the saviour of Kashmir Singh, Ansar Burney the Human Rights Minister said he would appeal to Musharraf to make a humanitarian gesture and release him. “He would do his best for his reprieve and save his life, if he is innocent,” Burney added further.

The Punjab constable Kashmir Singh, who was languishing in Pakistani jail for the last 35 years on charge of spying, was released by the endless effort of Burney.

Sarabjit Singh’s family said it was the case of mistaken identity. Sarabjit, whom Pakistani government is considering Manjit Singh is not Manjit, but Sarabjit Singh, who was accidentally strayed into Pakistani territory.

Dalbir Kaur said: "I have only one brother and his name is Sarabjit Singh, not Manjit Singh. He is innocent and it is a case of mistaken identity."

Dalbir, who has rushed to Delhi to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi said, she would make every effort to overturn the death warrant. She also appealed to the Pakistani authorities to make a humanitarian gesture and release him like Kashmir Singh, who was released on March 3.

The death warrant was served days after the body of Pakistani national Khalid Mehmood, who died in Indian custody, was handed over to Pakistani authorities.

Ray of hope

The only ray of hope for Sarabjit Singh and his family is in the form of President Musharraf, whether he releases him on humanitarian ground like Kashmir Singh or not.

March 3 was the day, when Kashmir Singh an Indian national suffering in Pakistan prison for the last 35 years was released and the same day, Sarabjit’s mercy plea had been turned down by President Musharraf.

Kashmir Singh after returning to India admitted in an interview here that he was spying in Pakistan as an Indian agent. Kashmir Singh’s testimony certainly earned an award for him to be called a sheer OPPORTUNIST. He did not think even once that his testimony could fetch misfortune in form of “death-warrant” for his brothers, who have been languishing in Pakistani jail for many years. One of the consequences we all are looking in the recent death warrant released by the Pakistani authorities.

This was all fabricated by Kashmir to have monetary benefits or sympathy from Indian Public. But he has certainly doomed the fate of others who are innocent but are living in Pakistani Hell.

Although later he overturned from his earlier statement, but once admitted cannot be easily washed from people’s mind.