Musharraf may grant clemency to Sarabjit on humanitarian grounds

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf may grant clemency to Sarabjit Singh, the Indian detenu, after the Indian Government appealed to the Pakistan Government to treat his case with clemency on humanitarian grounds.

Islamabad, Mar 19 : Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf may grant clemency to Sarabjit Singh, the Indian detenu, after the Indian Government appealed to the Pakistan Government to treat his case with clemency on humanitarian grounds.

"If that happens, it will be purely on humanitarian grounds," The Nation quoted a Pakistan's Foreign Office (FO) official as saying.

FO Spokesman Muhammad Sadiq said it is difficult to say what would happen to the appeal, but added that the appeal by the Indian Government would be brought to the notice of the authority concerned.

On Tuesday, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said: "We appeal to the Government of Pakistan to treat Sarabjit Singh's case with clemency on humanitarian grounds."

Earlier, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has assured Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal that the Government of India is making all possible efforts to seek a reprieve for Sarabjit.

Meanwhile, Sarabjit's sister had made an appeal at the Pakistan High Commission for securing his release.

Dalbir Kaur, sister of Sarabjit submitted an appeal to the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi appealing for the release of her brother as soon as possible.

Dalbir recently failed to gain clemency following the rejection of his mercy plea by President Musharraf.

Sarabjit, the Indian convicted of spying in Pakistan is to be hanged on April 1 following President Musharraf's rejection of his mercy plea, a senior prison officer in Lahore said on Sunday.

Sarabjit was sentenced to death in 1991 for spying and carrying out four bomb blasts that killed 14 people.

According to the Superintendent of the Lahore's Kot Lakhpat prison, Javed Latif, President Musharraf turned down Sarabjit's petition for clemency on March 4.

Sarabjit's family has said he accidentally crossed into Pakistan in 1990 while he was drunk.

Pakistani officials say Sarabjit was arrested while trying to slip back into India after the bomb blasts.

On March 4, Musharraf accepted a mercy plea and ordered the release of another Indian, Kashmir Singh, who spent 35 years on death row in Pakistan for spying charges.

Pakistan said the release was made on humanitarian grounds.

Human rights activist and caretaker Minister Ansar Burney who propelled the release of Kashmir Singh, told reporters in Islamabad on Monday that he had no intention of helping Sarabjit.

ANI