India takes up Sarabjit issue

ISLAMABAD—Indian authorities have established contact with Pakistan’s new government on the issue of its national Sarabjit Singh, whose execution has been deferred till May 1, and are hopeful that he will be shown clemency.
According to PTI, the execution of Sarabjit — sentenced to death for alleged involvement in four bomb blasts in Punjab province that killed 14 people in 1990 — was deferred for 30 days by President Pervez Musharraf so that the new government could review his case. Sarabjit was originally set to be hanged on April 1. Official sources said the Indian government had taken up Sarabjit’s case with the new coalition government led by the Pakistan People’s Party shortly after it assumed office last month. The Indian government is now hopeful that Sarabjit will be shown clemency, the sources said. “The Pakistan government is aware that there is cross-party support in India for the plea for clemency for Sarabjit. Though there are no indications as yet from the Pakistan government, we are hopeful that he will be shown clemency,” a source told PTI.—Online