India on Monday appealed to Pakistan to ?keep sentiments of people? in mind and hoped that ?some leniency? would be shown to Sarabjit Singh, an Indian prisoner who is set to he hanged on April 1 for his alleged involvement in four bomb blasts nearly two decades ago.
Responding to media queries, minister of state for external affairs Anand Sharma said, ?In the Sarabjit Singh case, we had earlier conveyed the strong sentiments of our people and requested for some clemency and reprieve to him. We hope that considering humanitarian aspects, some leniency would be shown to him.?
However, the minister pointed out that India has limited options and can only make an appeal on humanitarian grounds. Meanwhile, officials of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad are in touch with the Pakistan government over the issue and have requested for consular access to Sarabjit Singh, sources said.
The High Commission has conveyed to the Pakistani authorities that Singh?s execution will strike a jarring note at a point when the two sides are looking forward to resuming composite dialogue, expected to take place in April. Death warrant for Sarabjit has been received at Lahore?s Lakhpat jail where he has been languishing for the last 17 years.
?It has been our endeavour to ensure that those prisoners in both the countries who have completed their sentences are released for which a committee has been set up,? said Sharma.
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf?s rejection of Singh?s mercy petition and the issuance of a death warrant for him early this month is seen as a retaliatory move by Islamabad after the body of Khaled Mehmood, who died in an Indian jail, was sent to his country early this month.
Now, only a pardon by Musharraf can save Singh. Meanwhile, Sarabjit?s sister Dalbir Kaur met Rahul Gandhi on Monday to seek government?s intervention in the case.