Free Sarabjit, Krishna ‘requests’ Pakistan
June 27th, 2012 - 11:50 am ICT by IANSNew Delhi, June 27 (IANS) India Wednesday welcomed the release of Surjeet Singh from a Pakistani jail and renewed its “request” to Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari to also free Sarabjit Singh and all Indian prisoners who had completed their sentences.
“I have seen media reports about release from imprisonment in Pakistan, of Surjeet Singh, son of Sucha Singh. I welcome this decision and further renew our request to the president of Pakistan to release Sarabjit Singh who has been in custody for well over two decades and is serving a death sentence,” said External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna.
The appeal came after Pakistan’s apparent volte-face about releasing Sarabjit Singh. On June 26, the Pakistani media had carried reports of Sarabjit getting a presidential pardon. However, Islamabad clarified late evening that it was not Sarabjit but Surjeet Singh, his fellow inmate at Kot Lakhpat jail, who would be released.
Krishna urged the government of Pakistan to take a “sympathetic and humanitarian view” of Sarabjit’s case.
“I also appeal to the government of Pakistan to release all Indian nationals who have completed their prison term,” he added.
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- Pakistan does volte-face, says Surjeet Singh, not Sarabjit, to be released (Lead) - Jun 27, 2012
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- Sarabjit and Surjeet: Shock in one home, joy in another (Second Lead) - Jun 27, 2012
- Surjeet Singh, not Sarabjit Singh, to be released: Pakistan - Jun 27, 2012
- Soni appeals for Sarabjit's release - Jun 27, 2012
- Krishna assures Sarabjit's family he will take up issue - Aug 17, 2012
- Pakistan frees 311 Indian prisoners - Jun 27, 2012
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- Sarabjit's family on indefinite fast; meets Krishna (Second Lead) - Jun 28, 2012
- Pakistan to release Sarabjit Singh soon, says lawyer - Sep 07, 2012
- Surjeet home after 30 years, says he was a spy (Roundup) - Jun 28, 2012
Tags: asif ali, death sentence, decades, external affairs minister, fellow inmate, government of pakistan, imprisonment, indian nationals, indian prisoners, june 27, krishna, late evening, New Delhi, president of pakistan, presidential pardon, prison term, sarabjit singh, sentences, sucha singh, volte face