Sarabjit's family sends mercy plea to Musharraf

Sarabjit Singh’s fate seems to be at the mercy of Pakistan government which reportedly on Thursday has issued fresh execution order to be held on May 01.

Reportedly Rana Abdul Hameed, Sarabjit’s lawyer has confirmed of the new order passed on Thursday, he said that the execution was put on hold for a month only after the Government of India requested its counter in part in Pakistan for the same.

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This has come as a shock for Sarabjit’s family member who few days back has received visa to travel to Pakistan and has been continuously pleading to get the execution order dropped.

It is believed that Kashmir Singh’s revelation that he was indeed a spy after he returned back to India following 35 years of jail got the whole impression changed.

Sarabjit who is considered as a case of mistaken identity as Manjit Singh in Pakistan is facing charges of death sentence in Lahore and Multan bombing case in 1990 which left 14 people dead. Earlier he was to be hanged on March 31.

Recently, LK Advani has asked Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani of Pakistan to take the bold step of granting clemency to Sarabjit as the nobility will win the goodwill of people of India and will support the common objectives of peace across the subcontinent.

Advani wrote Gilani of Sarabjit’s mistaken identity and to prove it Sarabjit’s sister has offered a DNA test. He mentioned Burney’s remark who too voiced the same concern of mistaken identity.

Meanwhile, Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday said that 641 Indians, including 436 fishermen, were languishing in Pakistani jails; the list of prisoners of the two nations was exchanged last month and after checking the details the list will be presented to the judicial committee consisting of Indian and Pakistani judges, who will further review the cases.

Earlier on Wednesday human rights activist Ansar Burney pushed for the early release of two Pakistani boys who mistakenly entered India’s territory and were being held by Rajasthan police.

The Ansar Burney Trust International has asked release of Azhar Ansari, and his cousin Zohaib Ansari (aged 17 and 10 respectively) who mistakenly crossed the border. The trust reportedly said that even Rajasthan Police has confirmed against to lay the blame.

Burney, the human right activist who was instrumental in getting Kashmir Singh released have taken the cause of Sarabjit yet again and even travelled India to get to know the other side of story. But the hope at Sarabjit’s family has refused to die down who are getting ready for another battle to rescue Sarabjit who is lodged at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail since 18 years.

The family though has sent mercy petition through Ansar Burney but are also planning to go to Pakistan to meet President Musharraf and other ministers of newly elected government.