Showing mercy for Sarabjit Singh

The counsel for jailed Indian national, Sarabjit Singh, says some light has shone in through the bars of his death row cell at Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore, following the release of Dr Khalil Chishty, the virologist held in India for almost two decades. Sarabjit, who filed his fifth mercy petition to the President of Pakistan, is hoping that this time around it will be accepted. The petition is backed by the signatures of over 100,000 Indian citizens. It also contains letters written to President Asif Ali Zardari by the chief cleric of Delhi’s Jamia Masjid and the caretaker of the shrine of the revered sufi saint Moinuddin Chishty.

Certainly, mercy needs to be shown and Sarabjit — who has already served 22 years in Pakistani jails — should be permitted to return home. Singh was arrested in 1990 in connection with a series of bomb blasts that went off in various cities in Punjab, following which he was convicted and condemned to the gallows. He was supposed to be hanged on April 1, 2008, but the decision was stayed following an outcry in India, appeals from the Indian government and orders from Islamabad to put off the sentence. Sarabjit has served a period longer than a life term in jail. In the wake of Dr Chishty’s release following a request by President Zardari, reciprocal action needs to be taken by Pakistan. The move can help bring people of both countries closer.

There are also other reasons why Sarabjit should be released. A question over identity has surfaced previously in the case, with Indian activists stating that the unfortunate Sarabjit was actually mistaken for a man called Manjeet Singh, who actually carried out the bombings. Sarabjit’s counsel insists that there is irrefutable proof that he was in India when the bombings occurred, while the prisoner’s sister, Dalbir Kaur, is also stated to have produced evidence of his innocence. Given the evidence and on the simple basis of humanity, Sarabjit must be freed. Let us hope this happens as soon as possible.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2012.