Sarabjit issue taken up at highest levels: PM

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Agencies

Posted online: Tuesday , March 18, 2008 at 11:26:05

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said that India has taken up the matter of Sarabjit Singh, who is on death row in Pakistan, with Islamabad at the highest level.

In a reply to a letter from Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Singh assured him that the government is making all possible efforts to seek a reprieve for Sarabjit, who is scheduled to be hanged on April one, Prime Minister's media adviser Sanjaya Baru said in a statement.

India has sought consular access to Sarabjit, who has been served a death warrant after spending 17 years in jail for alleged involvement in the 1990 bomb blasts in Lahore and Multan, according to sources in the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.

It had been indicated to the Pakistani authorities that hanging him "might not be the best way to deal with the situation in the prevailing circumstances", the sources said.

There has been little hope coming from Islamabad with Pakistani Minister Ansar Burney, who was instrumental in the recent release of the Indian death row prisoner Kashmir Singh, saying he would not submit any petition in support of Sarabjit as he had been "charged with terrorism".

Sarabjit was sentenced to death for alleged involvement in the 1990 bomb blasts in Lahore and Multan that claimed 14 lives.

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Comments - 1

Why such a late move PM by kumar on 18 Mar 2008

Can U recollect how PM Sonia and Congees were sleepless when Dr Haneef was arrested in Australia for genuine reasons. PM urgently summoned Australian High command to bail him out and gave a rousing red carpet welcome on arrival. On the contrary 4 P hd students brutally murdered in US under mysterious circumstances have not been noticed by Sonia Pm or our secular leaders and BJP is also silent . Had it been A MINORITY , our SECULAR Govt would have rushed an envoy to US tv channels would have been flashing 'breaking news' thru the day and competing with one another to claim who broke the news first etc... Deve Gowda offered him a position the Ambedkar Medical College making him a National hero as if he had sacrificed fo the nation.. One does not understand the impulsive nature of our media and the Government. Now they succeeded in reversing his case and revoked his visa

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