August 22
INDIA/PAKISTAN:
Family of Indian national sentenced to death in Pakistan breaks down
The Supreme Court of Pakistan has upheld the sentence of death penalty for
Sarabjit Singh who was implicated by an anti terrorism court of Pakistan
on October 2, 1990.
Sarbjit, who says he is a victim of mistaken identity, once again failed
to convince the court about his real identity. He also failed to prove
that he was an Indian by birth.
Sarabjits family, after getting the news from a senior lawyer of the
Supreme Court was left shattered. They now plan to appeal to President
Pervez Musharraf, for remission of the sentence.
"I am sad. He has not even seen his children. He has been sentenced to
death. He had appealed for bail and now they have dismissed that too. Now,
it is the governments responsibility to get him back. But today all our
hopes have been washed out. Today we shall appeal to the President of
Pakistan," said Sukhpreet Kaur, Sarabjit Singhs wife.
The family came to know about his arrest when they recieved a letter from
him on May 1991. In the letter Sarabjit stated that he was mercilessly
tortured by the Palistani police and was forced to confess to the charges
levelled against him.
Dalbir Kaur, his sister, however has not lost hope and is gearing up to
appeal to the Supreme Court of Pakistan and to Musharraf.
"My brother Sarbjit Singh had crossed the border in 1990 by mistake. A
special court in Lahore punished him. His appeal was dismissed by the high
court. Then he appealed to the Supreme Court. The bench had 2 judges. One
got convinced that he is Sarbjit but the other upheld the earlier
punishment. I won't lose hope. I believe in God. I will again apply to
Supreme Court and to President Musharraf," says Dilbar Kaur.
The family is pinning its hope on Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf for
pardon to their only bread winner.
(source: New Kerala)
