Burney moots free visa system between India, Pak

Burney, who is a member of Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, said, “I would request the Punjab government to authenticate the FIR wherein Sarabjit has been shown missing. This would provide for substantial evidence and make a very strong case for his release.”

Sarabjit’s family had yesterday handed a copy of the FIR to Burney, who is currently visiting India. He was speaking today at Badal village in Muktsar district. Describing his meeting with the Punjab Chief Minister, he said Parkash Singh Badal was mulling the idea of having a human rights ministry in the state Cabinet.

Sarabjit has been sentenced to death for his alleged involvement in four bomb blasts in Pakistan in 1990. As per the FIR of Punjab Police, he had gone missing. “Once I am convinced by the evidence of his innocence, I can go to any forum demanding his release. Whether I will pursue the matter in my capacity as member of the UN advisory committee or not is a tough question, but I will surely make efforts at my individual level,” said Burney

He, however, urged judges of both India and Pakistan to award death sentence in the rarest of rare cases and called upon both the governments to provide for a free visa system, akin to the one followed in the European Union.

He highlighted the sufferings of fishermen who cross over to each other’s country “inadvertently” in the absence of any wall in the sea. He said even when the fishermen are released, the authorities don’t return their captured boats, which seals their fate. Burney reiterated the demand of repatriation of prisoners from both sides who had completed their terms.