Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh has written another letter to President Asif Ali Zardari requesting for his pardon. Additionally, former Indian Supreme Court judge Justice Markandey Katju followed suit by requesting government functionaries and human rights activists to play their role in Sarabjit’s release.
In his one-page letter, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, Sarabjit said he was in a death cell since the past 22 years. He said Indian people believe in his innocence and are continuously appealing for his release. He added that as he was not nominated in the FIR and his counsel had provided the president with proof of involvement of the nominated accused Manjeed Singh, his criminal activities and his frequent visits to Pakistan.
He also mentioned that the revision of his appeal was dismissed by the Supreme Court for non prosecution only because of lack of seriousness on part of his former counsel. He questioned if the life of an Indian was in anyway less important than that of a Pakistani – because of which he was not given his right to defend himself. He further added that a statement was recorded but the special court was misquoted him, arguing that he had never confessed to being an agent of RAW or being involved in any kind of terrorist activities.
Requesting his release on August 14, Sarabjit complained how spokesperson to the president Farhatullah Babar withdrew the statement of his release leaving him and many others in dismay.
Justice Markandey Katju
In an email sent to Sarabjit’s counsellor, Awais Sheikh, Justice Markandey Katju said he was convinced that the accused was not involved in the Lahore blast although he might be guilty of illegally crossing the border and having a liquor business in Pakistan. Katju also wrote that he believes that Sarabjit had confessed under pressure, adding that him and Dr Chisti are just victims of a mindset in which people from an enemy state are considered to be enemies.
The email has been sent by Katju to social activists Asma Jahangir and Chaudhry Fawad Husain, as well as to senators Babar and Iqbal Haider. He has also sent the email to Indian actor Salman Khan who is known for championing social causes.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 14th, 2012.
COMMENTS (16)
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@ijaz Mir:
You remind me of Herr Goebels, Hitler's propaganda minister, who believed that by repeating lies a hundred times, it becomes the uncontested truth. Dear Ijaz Mir, just to open your conjunctivitis-infected eyes, you have to only read the assessment of various international bodies about Pakistan's judiciary and its system of justice. Hopefully, you will then come out of your world of make-believe fantasy, and will stop saying that your system is "working perfect". As far as Sarabjeet is concerned, Julie (to whom you have responded) is absolutely right in saying that the Indian prisoner's case was highly politicized from the start. He is anything but a spy (least of all a terrorist, as shady characters with no conscience or scruples have tried to portray him). If anything, he is guilty of smuggling but certainly not a dangerous spy. I hope you, Sir, will never have the misfortune of being trapped as a criminal or murderer in some foreign jail with no one trying to help you prove your innocence. Pakistani government officials are capable of ignoring their nationals in trouble abroad. It's a cruel world, dear brother, but it is people like you and me who can change that by campaigning NOT in favour of prejudice and hatred but truth and decency. You can win in the end, believe you me.
@ Julie In Pakistan there is only one organization which is working is Judiciary system. No one can go to jail unless proven guilty. We Pakistani are proud of our Judiciary. We have a system which is working perfect.
@julie: wow, live under a rock much?
Dear Pakistani Sickos,
Release that poor innocent man. You have not proven his guilt beyond reasonable doubt, as the law in any civilized society requires for a prisoner to be sentenced. His case has been highly politicized. He was held for so long without the prosecutor fully proving his guilt or allowing the poor man to prove his innocence. .If there is any sense of justice in your system and if you believe in giving every prisoner a fair trial, you wil forthwith release this man. He and his family have suffered enough. There was trade off between the govts. of India and Pakistan: Chisti, a confessed killer, was recently released on compassionate grounds from an Indian jail but the other player is still languishing in a Paki jail.
Raymond Davis was not pardoned by the President Pakistan. He was pardon By the relatives of victims after blood money was paid as agreed between the two parties.. Now this Sardars case Precedent of Pakistan Has power to commute his death sentence to life imprisonment..The only people can pardon him are the relatives of the bomb blast victims. If Zerdari wants to pardons this guy,It will be against the law of the land There will be many law suits against President..
Correct me if I am wrong. Is he not the only terrorist ever convicted by the Pakistan courts? I am not talking about spies. There is a difference between a spy and terrorist.
Whatever happened to the killers of 40,000 Pakistani citizens in the last 10 years while this guy was behind bar in a death cell for 22 years?
Whatever happened to the infamous and woefully inadequate "law of evidence" in this case under which all of the 4000 terrorists (presumably Muslims) caught by the Pakistan army has been set free by the Supreme Court of Pakistan?
@Faraz: Pls read my comment carefully.
Pakistan won't release this terrorist, better for india if they stop wasting time on this.
Let the man go for God sake. We would not become a stronger or safer or more prosperous country even if we murder him now. Twenty two years of a human life is a significant period and especially if it has been spent on death row with constant threat of being killed. Let's not play gods here------Pardon him and let him go home.
@BlackJack: There are about 300 pakistani national in indian jails. Plus infamous ajmal kasab!!
Either Pakistani courts admit that they put wrong man behind the bars, or get permission of all those families who lost their loved ones in his bombs attacks in Lahore and Faisalabad! Stop playing with our emotions ET, we have been generous enough already.
Remember the man who crossed border few days back to admit he was indeed a RAW agent?
We are all for peace as Pakistani, but please do not take that as if we are some bunch of idiots!
A treaty can be reached to release all prisoners on both side on humanitarian basis and also not to infringe on each other's sovereignty in future.
As far as I know the only Pakistani prisoner on death row in India is Ajmal Kasab (glad to be corrected if any info to the contrary is provided). Kasab's handiwork has been captured on camera, his trial is a matter of public record and there is no coerced confession involved in determining his guilt. Sarabjit's case could very well be one of mistaken identity as the bomb blasts were allegedly managed by Manjit Singh - who is clearly someone else; the only evidence against Sarabjit is that he was illegally found in Pakistan and a coerced confession which he clearly wishes to recant - hence the mercy petitions.
I am all for Surbjit's release on humanitarian grounds. He has served 22 years plus as quoted he was not heard properly. Given the plight of these cross border prisnors, legal experts from both countries should form a fast track system of their prosecution/release etc.
I wonder why ET is giving so importance and space to this news. Set your priorities right please