National   

We have lost hope, says family

Sarabjit Singh, sentenced to death in Pakistan, is innocent, say relatives

AMRITSAR: The family of an Indian whose death sentence for spying has been upheld in Pakistan pleaded on Monday for his life, proclaiming his innocence and saying they will commit suicide if he is hanged.

The relatives of Sarabjit Singh have written to President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, asking them to intervene, said Mr. Singh's sister Dalbir Kaur.

She said she had received a telephone call from a Pakistani lawyer, Rana Abdul Hamid, on Sunday confirming the death sentence.

"We appeal to the Indian President Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and all countrymen to evolve efforts for saving the life of my innocent brother Singh," she told the news channel NDTV India.

Mr. Singh's teenage daughter Swapandip said the family would commit suicide if he is hanged.

"We have lost all hopes. If he is executed, we will all kill ourselves," Swapandip told NDTV.

Mr. Singh, a resident of the border village of Bikhiwind, went missing in August 1990, apparently when he inadvertently strayed across the border with Pakistan, Dalbir said.

She said once in Pakistan, Mr. Singh was mistaken for a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) agent, and taken into custody for allegedly masterminding a series of bomb blasts in Lahore.

A Pakistani court handed Mr. Singh — whom it identified as RAW agent Manjit Singh — a death sentence, which was upheld by the Supreme Court last week.

In her appeal to Gen. Musharraf, Dalbir said her brother was a victim of the animosity between the two countries.

"We have all the records — including birth certificate, identification cards, showing my brothers name as Sarabjit Singh," she said.

"We have submitted them to the Pakistan Government. Why then was he tried and punished as Manjit Singh?"

"We will put everything at stake to fight this long legal battle. I appeal to human rights bodies to help us,'' Dalbir said.

The Indian Foreign Ministry has so far not commented on the Pakistan Supreme Court ruling. — AFP

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Education should provide the freedom to think: Kalam
Foreign Secretary to visit Islamabad
Opposition may rephrase motion to focus on Lalu's statement
Court to hear plea to make Governor report public
Session can be extended till August 30
Centre mulling amendment for quota in private colleges
Women protection Bill introduced in Lok Sabha
"Removing quota will affect social fabric"
We have lost hope, says family
Parliament voices concern
Yechury, Brinda Karat take oath
Japanese warships on goodwill visit
Assure funds for job scheme, BJP asks Chidambaram
BJP objects to Arjun's "language"
Amartya Sen's mother dies
New National Security Advisory Board chief
Fast track courts to continue
Montek favours fuel price hike

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu