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Sarabjit Singh has converted to Islam, claims Surjeet
Recently released spy claims Sarabjeet and another prisoner identified as Kirpal have converted to Islam.
Sarabjit is currently imprisoned at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
Recently released Indian spy Surjeet Singh claims that Sarabjit Singh has converted Islam and is now known as Sarfaraz, The Indian Express has reported. Sarabjit is currently imprisoned at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail and has been sentenced to death for his alleged role in bomb blasts.
Surjeet was recently released from Kot Lakhpat after 30 years. The Indian national had been arrested by Pakistani police on charges of spying during the regime of Ziaul Haq.
In addition to the claim of Sarabjit’s conversion, Surjeet has also claimed that another Indian prisoner in Pakistan, Kirpal Singh, had also converted to Islam and is now known as Mohammed Din. He was speaking to the media at the information centre of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee during his visit to the Golden Temple.
Sarabjit’s sister, while confirming that she heard Kirpal be called by a Muslim name, has denied that her brother has converted. Dalbir Kaur said:
This is not true at all. Sarabjit was a Gursikh, is a Gursikh and will remain a Gursikh. He has kept photos of Sikh gurus in jail and a Sikh religious book. He regularly recites from that book.
Kaur said her brother had been addressed as Sarabjit or Manjit when she had last visited him in jail.
The dramatic events on Tuesday night had drained Sarabjit’s family after Pakistan announced that the Indian prisoner in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail — sentenced to death for his alleged role in bomb blasts – would be released after his sentence was commuted to life. Hours later, though, it was clarified that it was not Sarabjit but another Indian prisoner, Surjeet Singh, who was being released.
Read more:
SarabjitSingh
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Now he could be released. He has come to religion of peace and no one forced him.
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Let’s see how our Sikh friends from India shall react to this, who until a couple of days ago, were jumping up and down for his release :D
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Probably most people would end up converting if they’re jailed long enough. Like joining a prison gang for protection in many jails. Converting to Islam probably offers protection and less abuse from authorities in Pakistani prisons.
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Who ever they release , they make Statements in INDIA “WE WENT THERE FOR SPYING !”
This is our gesture to release — i think we should take lines hard now
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I hope this news is totally false. If a prisoner is forced to convert it reflects a total collapse of human values in the country.
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this is a forced conversion, i m 100% sure.
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Thats great ,now on behalf that he is your ummi brother,please release this innocent guy on 14aug.
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Is God happy now ?
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Dear sister ..any thing can happen in pakistan …when their own minorities are facing such problem , who cares your alleged spy brother ? Don’t worry..Religion is accepted , not forced upon ….By forcing , they bring bad name to their society and religion….
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Not surprising. Pakistan is one of the few modern states that runs on the medieval concept of giving preference in all walks of life (including justice) to those who claim to be Muslims. So if I was a prisoner there, I’d convert too in the hopes of a lighter sentence.
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Congratulations to the state of Pakistan on your success.
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@ Vasan, @ Imran Con,
I want to know one thing , there are several Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails serving worst conditions of prison, Did any one changed religion to Hindu,Sikh or other native religion.
I will love to meet that changed PakistaniRecommend
@Imran Con, So why didn’t Surjeet Singh convert? He said he was treated well and had no problems? /p>Recommend
@Peter, well said.
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20 years is a long time, and people can get influenced during that period. While the idea may be painful for his family, ultimately whatever choice makes his current condition more acceptable is a sensible one – and I don’t think we can just jump to the conclusion that it was forced. For those asking about Pak prisoners in Indian jails, religion is not at the forefront in India, and conversion is not a priority in dharmic faiths.
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@Peter: Because India is secular.
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he has criminal hisroty & must be served the sentence regardless of his personal belief
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See Pakistan is muslim country and wish that every person of the world should be muslim. Do you feel it is suprising if sarabjit has converted religion. Not at all. By converting muslim, he will be able to live peacefully. Recommend
ET is under heavy attack by Indian Trolls. however one thing which is amzing that 80 year old khaleel chisti din’t changed his religion to hindusim/sikhism but young sabajeet singh converted to Islam. this is the true power of Islam.
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India is a secular country and authorities in India will never force any one to convert the religion. This is forced conversion of Sarabjit and Kripal Singh. Even in Sindh, Many Hindu Sindhis living in Pakistan have converted their religion for protection and safe living in Pakistan. Mr. Zeeshan Sheikh go to sindh and see Hindu Sindhi are being forced for conversion.
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what then? he has converted to Islam is his personal faith. He is a killer and should be treated that way.
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I have a question for that guy; were those 30 years worth it ?
Why can’t Indans & Pakistanis leave each other alone ?
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Majority of the people posted comments here are TOTALLY INTOLERANT TO OTHER RELIGIONS.. Shameful to the entire humanity…
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In psychology, Stockholm syndrome is a psychological phenomenon in which hostages express empathy and have positive feelings towards their captors, sometimes to the point of defending them. These feelings are generally considered irrational in light of the danger or risk endured by the victims, who essentially mistake a lack of abuse from their captors for an act of kindness. One should read statements given by Sarjeet Singh few days ago and a Kishori Lal on the day of his release from Pakistani jail on Oct 18, 2011 in this context. Sarabjit Singh’s story falls in this category too.
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@Zeeshan Sheikh:
Zeeshan every religion teaches same value’s recommends helping and forgiving. I respect Quran and Muslim religion, It never ask for forced conversion. People who are emotional fools are easily targeted by extremist’s. Just recite quran once again.Recommend
I have a sikh converted friend in Qatar so i will say Mashallah may ALLAH help Sarabjit in his new faith.
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This is all a drama to get sympathy and get released. Do you guys remember Indian spy Kashmir Singh who was released couple of years ago who said he was innocent and was reading the Koran in jail to get sympathy from the jailers ? Well this is a similar tactic used by spys.
Don’t realease this indian spy. He is doing Topi Drama.
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Seeing all these idiotic and bias comments it has become apparent ET is flooded by lost Indians. They have no where to go except for straying here.
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What ever good gesture Pakistan would make towards India, Indians will never be appriciative of Pakistan. Pakistan converted death to life sentence and eventually released a convicted and (now self-confessed) international Sikh terrorist on humane grounds. It only shows Greatness of Pakistan and symbolize that Pakistan can do anything to create an atmosphere of Peace and stability in South Asia. Now ball is in Indian court lets see if Indians are serious about noble cause of establishing friendly relations by showing flexibility or want to continue old enmity.
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Zaikam, you are totally right. there is no place where we can discuss articles at hand. instead we have to hear things like “india is superpower with an intergalactic multicultural economy” (head-tilt) when the article is about a municipal injunction in tandoo adam.
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So did Michael Jackson
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yayyy!
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@indian Troll:
What a idiotic remarks you all make here….why he will be forced to convert, whose benefit. And who forced him to convert. Have some sense while you comment…
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India somehow always pulls a Rabbit from the hat and undermines Pakistan’s efforts for peaceful coexistance everytime.
Surjeet Singh admits on Indian soil that he was a RAW spy working in Pakistan.
the whole world knows that he was a RAW agent yet India’s Home Minister P Chidamabaram denies it.
India establishment and media should stop being a hypocrite and stop promoting nonsense about Pakistan.anyone in Indian or Pakistani jail will confess to anything…what they say when they reach home is the ultimate truth.
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Seems like a good man who is willing to acknowledge the Truth.
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Secondly fellow Pakistanis show some compassion. We are Muslims, we are suppose to show mercy. Let the fellow leave he has spent a life time in jail which is worse then death.
Lastly dear Indians his converting religion wont have any bearing on his sentence so kindly keep your take the back door out.Recommend
@Peter:
In Indian jail no one is forced to change his religion, nor anyone gets any benefit by changing religion to any religion. Its called secularism or separation of church and state. I know it is very difficult for you to imagine but such concept exists in many countries around the world. Same law and treatment applies to peoples of all religions.
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@Zeeshan Sheikh: Dr. Chisti did not convert because ,unlike you,he was educated enough to understand the meaning of the word ‘Secularism’ and that India is a secular country.
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@Naseer Qureshi: He was not convicted of any terrorism charge u idiot. There difference between spying and firing bullets on unarmed civillians.
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I am a Sikh and believe in universal brotherhood. If sarabjit converted by his own will so be it and if he was forced to convert Waheguru is a better judge of it. I am a Punjabi and I am proud to be one. I don’t curse anyone here because god is the last entity to judge his creation. Thank you…cheerio
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@Feroz:
how o you know he was forced?
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For those who are saying its forced, how come Surjeet Singh didn’t convert. He was jailed for 27 years!! Didn’t he face the same conditions! He’s released and back home now he can say whatever and this guy is saying there was no harsh treatment there. If Sarabjit converted to Islam its his choice..Stop jumping to conclusion!!
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@Amir: “what they say when they reach home is the ultimate truth.”
Not necessary! If you were falsely accused and jailed for as long as 30 years, when you return you have nothing to loose and would want to take benefit of the situation by claiming to be a spy and get monetary or otherwise benefit from government or people.
I am not saying he definitely not a spy, but his statement can not be taken at face value. He would have to produce some form of proof that he was employed by some spying agency for you to claim it ultimate truth.
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@Prabhjyot Singh Madan:
Respect.
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why are there so many freaking indians on a pakistani website….go find another forum to share your frustrations
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u pakis will pay heavy price ……..
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No such claim is valid and verifiable without a proof of circumcision.
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Is there any chance that pakistani prisoners are released from Indian jails? Is any one in Pak governament working on it to protect them.
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@sami khan:
because we hate terrorists
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@Amir:
“Surjeet Singh admits on Indian soil that he was a RAW spy working in Pakistan.
the whole world knows that he was a RAW agent yet India’s Home Minister P Chidamabaram denies it.”
You are an educated man hopefully with some logical ability and rational thinking. Just think. Why did he felt compelled to declare that he was spying for India as soon as he landed in India? What was the necessity?
The probable logical answer is that he was coerced by the Pak authorities to to so as soon as he arrived in India. They probably had threatened that if he didn’t do so, other Indian prisoners in Pak would suffer greatly and would never be released.
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@Abdul: It is ok with me if he is a genuine convert . Free him he can practice what ever religion he wants to practice on this side of the border.
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@indian Troll:
no one can force anyone to convert to any religion. if he has converted than its his choice.
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@Truthbetold“You are an educated man hopefully with some logical ability and rational thinking. Just think. Why did he felt compelled to declare that he was spying for India as soon as he landed in India? What was the necessity?
The probable logical answer is that he was coerced by the Pak authorities to to so as soon as he arrived in India. They probably had threatened that if he didn’t do so, other Indian prisoners in Pak would suffer greatly and would never be released”.
What a Bollywood logic!
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Sarabjit knows “if you are in Rome do like Romans do”. He is totally in hands of Pakistanis so the best way to live peacefully, is to do how they do i.e. pretend to be a Muslim. Let him come home, we will see how long he remains a muslim. Same happened with Kashmir singh, he lived as a muslim while he was in Pakistan but now he is a proud Sikh again. You should not judge a lion’s ability when he is in cage. Release the lion first and see which religion he takes. How this simple fact is so hard to understand for Pakistani fellows who are jumping up and down.
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@Truthbetold: amusing analogy! come up with something more believable my Indian friend :) don’t follow the footstep’s of your weird soap’s & soap like media :)
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Religion is a private matter between the MAKER and the PERSON. Let us not comment on the right and wrong.
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