Did Pakistan Army, radicals veto Sarabjit’s release?

[Abingdonboy]

Even as New Delhi awaits a factual report from its mission in Islamabad over Pakistan taking a U-turn on releasing death row prisoner Sarabjit Singh, intense speculation is on in diplomatic and media circles over the role played by the powerful Pakistan Army and fundamentalists in the midnight drama.

Senior officials said the volte-face by Pakistan clearly reflected that there were multiple centres of power working at cross purposes in the neighbouring country. “How can you first announce Sarabjit’s name and later clarify that it is actually Surjeet Singh who is being released?,” an official said.

According to security analyst Alok Bansal, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari would certainly find it very difficult to pardon Sarabjit at this point of time, much as he would wish to, since he was besieged from all sides. “Zardari may be by far the most pro-India person in the Pakistani establishment, but the issue (of Sarabjit’s release) required deft handling,'' he said.

Bansal said he had no doubt that the Pakistan Army and the ISI were firmly against pardoning Sarabjit since he was charged with acts of terror. Also, there were many writ petitions pending in Pakistani courts against releasing Sarabjit.

The sense in New Delhi is that the civilian government, in its anxiety to create a positive environment ahead of Foreign Secretary-level talks in early July, did indeed decide to grant presidential pardon to Sarabjit. The spokesperson for the Pakistan President went on TV channels to make the announcement, which was seen here as a balancing act by Pakistan in the wake of the arrest of Abu Jundal, a key plotter of the Mumbai carnage.

However, the Pakistan Government was forced to reverse its decision as the move to release Sarabjit is learnt to have evoked an adverse reaction not only from the Army and the jihadi forces, but also from a section of the media.

This had also happened in the case of the proposed visa agreement between the two countries. Pakistan had initially agreed to sign the accord at the Home Secretary-level talks in Islamabad last month but went back on its commitment at the last minute. The accord is still awaiting signatures of the two countries.

External Affairs Minister SM Krishna smiled when asked by journalists this morning as to how Pakistan could confuse Sarabjit’s name with that of Surjeet, another Indian inmate at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail.

“We are waiting for a report about what really happened from our mission in Pakistan. We are also awaiting an official confirmation from Pakistan since we have not been told who is being released and when.”

Surjeet has been in Pakistani captivity for over 30 years. He was captured near the border with India on charges of spying during the era of military ruler Zia-ul-Haq. His death sentence was commuted in 1989 by then President Ghulam Ishaq Khan on the advice of then premier Benazir Bhutto.

Krishna also issued a statement saying New Delhi had seen media reports about the impending release of Surjeet Singh. “I welcome the decision and further renew our request to the President of Pakistan to release Sarabjit Singh,” he said.

He pointed out that India had consistently urged Pakistan on several occasions to take a sympathetic and humanitarian view in Sarabjit’s case. “I also appeal to the Government of Pakistan to release all Indian nationals who have completed their prison terms and request the release of all other Indians serving jail sentences in Pakistani prisons for petty crimes,” he said.

Why the U-turn

The sense in New Delhi is that the Pakistan civilian government, in a bid to create a positive environment ahead of Foreign Secretary talks in early July, decided to grant presidential pardon to Sarabjit
The Pakistan President's spokesperson made the announcement on TV, which was seen here as a balancing act by Pakistan after the arrest of 26/11 handler Abu Jundal
The move to release Sarabjit is learnt to have evoked an adverse reaction from the Army, jihadi forces and a section of the media, forcing the government to reverse its decision

The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Main News

 

[Leader]

this terrorist should have been hanged long ago- dont know who kept the monkey alive !!

 

[Kavin]

Lawyer highlights flaws in Sarabjit’s trial

The lawyer of Indian death row prisoner Sarabjit Singh has highlighted flaws in his trial for alleged involvement in a string of bombings in 1990 and demanded that the Pakistan government commute his death sentence to life imprisonment.

Lawyer Awais Sheikh said there were many mistakes committed by the courts during Sarabjit’s trial and while deciding his appeals against his death sentence.

“In the presence of many flaws in Sarabjit’s trial, he was not given the benefit of doubt, which local accused are mostly given by the courts,” Sheikh told reporters here.

“Firstly the case of Sarabjit Singh is of mistaken identity as he was presented by the intelligence agencies before the court with the name Manjeet Singh, who was the actual person responsible for committing acts of terrorism in Pakistan,” he said.

Sheikh said the Lahore High Court, while deciding Sarabjit’s appeal against his death sentence, ruled that the “name makes no difference and it is enough that he has made confession of his crime“.

Presenting a statement recorded by a special judge, Sheikh said Sarabjit had never confessed to his crime before any court of law or any investigation agency.

He was made to confess his crime before a TV camera, which has no legal value.

Giving details of Sarabjit’s questioning by the judge, Sheikh said he totally denied the charges levelled against him by the prosecution.

According to Sarabjit’s statement, it was “incorrect that he was prepared and trained by RAW for terrorist activities in Pakistan. I was neither given training to pose as a Muslim nor to prepare bombs.”

Sarabjit denied the prosecution’s allegations that he had a Pakistani national identity card in the name of Khushi Muhammad, son of Allah Bakhsh.

He said the card had been prepared by one Major Abbas, a prosecution witness in the case.

In the statement, Sarabjit further said he crossed the border into Pakistan on August 29, 1990 in connection with smuggling of liquor but not with the intention of committing acts of terrorism.

Sarabjit denied the allegation that he had placed a bag with explosives in a bus at the railway station in Lahore on July 28, 1990. When the bus reached Nizamabad Chowk, an explosion occurred that killed a child and injured 11 others.

“I was in India at that time,” he said in the statement.

Sheikh said not only Sarabjit but many other Indian and Pakistani prisoners were languishing in jails in both countries but the civil society, NGOs and rights activists of both sides were silent on the issue.

He said the governments of both countries were under pressure not to release each other’s prisoners.

Sarabjit was at the centre of a controversy recently when reports emerged that the Pakistan government was set to free him. However, the presidential spokesman later clarified that another prisoner named Surjeet Singh was being freed.

Sheikh pointed out that the Pakistan government had clarified the matter five hours after the reports emerged for reasons best known to it.

He appealed to the President to release Sarabjit on August 14, the Independence Day of Pakistan, as a goodwill gesture to India.

 

[MSNGUY]

All the appeals fall on deaf ear and Sarabjit will continue to suffer..

 

[Awesome]

After Surjeet's confessions, there is no doubt that Sarabjit is also an Indian spy.

 

[third eye]

Release will happen , its only a Q of time.

@ the subject, he should have been hung / shot whatever.

However, once he has been pardoned and has completed his punishment let the bloke go.

If not , bring fresh charges against him ( does the law permit this ?) and proceed.

This I may add applies in equal measure to Pak citizens in Indian jails too.

 

[Areesh]

Release will happen , its only a Q of time.

How do you know that?

However, once he has been pardoned

Who will pardon him?

 

[peep]

How do you know that?



Who will pardon him?

He need nobody's pardon.. The death sentence has been revoked by your Zardari ( lord shiva bless him ) and he has completed max jail term in pakistan..

Pakistan has no ground to hold him any second longer.

 

[truthseer]

The patriotic people are about to file a petition in SC to get the spy hanged and his body then mailed back to India in 31 parcels

 

[JonAsad]

He need nobody's pardon.. The death sentence has been revoked by your Zardari ( lord shiva bless him ) and he has completed max jail term in pakistan..

Pakistan has no ground to hold him any second longer.

Yup- we should send him back in body bags- Maybe a piece at a time-

 

[Patriot]

Release will happen , its only a Q of time.

Yes - That's true - He is quite old now so won't live for long hence his body will be released to India soon.

Indians have a special sense of entitlement.Your terrorist got caught and you feel that he should be released lol.I'd say put a big rod up his A$$.

 

[ice_man]

another indian propaganda about how ISI tried to block his release and all! i am shocked how bias and nonsense filled indian media is!

anyways Sarbjeet confessed he was a spy! end of discussion

 

[Areesh]

He need nobody's pardon.. The death sentence has been revoked by your Zardari ( lord shiva bless him ) and he has completed max jail term in pakistan..

Pakistan has no ground to hold him any second longer.

May be we don't have a ground but who will release him and how?

 

[Leader]

May be we don't have a ground but who will release him and how?

just chohay mar goliyan day ker khatam karo is ka kisa... khali skinned dhancha wapis karo takay kuch pata bhi na chalay.. khatam kisa is dashatgard ka !!

 

[third eye]

May be we don't have a ground but who will release him and how?

All in good time.