Fresh Leash Of Hope For Sarabjit

THERE may be a fresh lease of life for Sarabjit Singh and other Indian prisoners on death row in Pakistan prisons. Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani on Saturday recommended commuting all death sentences in the country to life imprisonment. The government’s decision raised the prospect of Sarabjit’s release. The prisoner has been languishing in a Pakistan prison for 18 years for his alleged role in the 1990 bomb blasts in Lahore and Multan. Gillani told Parliament that he would direct the interior ministry to move a summary to President Pervez Musharraf to commute the sentence of those on death row to life imprisonment. Under Pakistan’s Constitution, the president has the power to commute sentences. Confirming the development, Pakistan’s former federal minister for human rights in the interim government, Ansar Burney, said it was a “ great decision” which would help Sarabjit and other Indian prisoners who had completed their life sentences. Burney said he will inform Sarabjit’s family about the decision. He said the Indian government had requested their Pakistani counterpart for Sarabjit’s release. Back home, the decision has transformed the mood of Sarabjit’s family. Sarabjit’s sister, Dalbir Kaur, said she received a phone call from Burney about the development. Dalbir hoped President Musharraf would commute the sentence of the prisoners on death row, including her brother, to life sentence. Sarabjit’s execution was put off indefinitely recently after India decided to take up the issue with the Pakistan government. Sarabjit has been lodged in Kot Lakhpat Rai jail in Lahore. Dalbir had recently visited Pakistan along with other family members and met Sarabjit in prison.