Indian activists pose with pictures of late Sarabjit Singh as they pay tribute to him in Kolkata. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
ISLAMABAD: Two months after India formally asked Pakistan to hand over belongings of Sarabjit Singh – the death row prisoner who died in Kot Lakhpat Jail in April, Islamabad is all set to return them in November.
In August, Indian foreign ministry formally requested Islamabad to facilitate return of Sarabjit’s clothes and other belongings – retained by jail authorities in Lahore – to his family.
“We are going to hand his [Sarabjit Singh’s] personal belongings soon,” confirmed Interior Ministry Spokesperson Omar Hameed Khan on Sunday.
Kot Lakhpat Jail administration has already transferred his personal belongings to interior ministry, a jail officer told The Express Tribune.
“We have handed a copy of the Holy Quran, three other holy books in Hindi, a rosary, five sets of clothes, a sleeping mattress, a pitcher, a blanket and shoes to the interior ministry,” he said.
The move came after Sarabjit’s sister Dalbir Kaur requested Indian Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde to bring back his belongings, and New Delhi requested Islamabad to return his stuff and the money he had earned doing prison work. His sister had earlier said that a memorial would be constructed in his memory along with his belongings as memorabilia.
Sarabjit, an Indian agent, was arrested for terrorism in 1991 and sentenced to death but it was delayed indefinitely. He was attacked by some inmates in April this year.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 28th, 2013.
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It will be a great gesture from Pakistan.These belongings must be quite dear to the deceased's relatives and may console them somewhat.