Burney urges new Pak Govt to release Sarabjit

Burney, a leading human rights activist, requested the incoming Government and Prime Minister-designate Yousuf Raza Gillani to convert Sarabjit’s death sentence into life imprisonment as he has “spent more than a life sentence on death row in Pakistani jails”, which was “worse than hell”.

He also called for an early release of Sarabjit, who has been held in Pakistani jails for 18 years, on humanitarian grounds. Burney said he would not allow the Government to hang a person for “reported mistaken identity”.

Sarabjit was sentenced to death in 1991 for his alleged involvement in four bomb blasts in Lahore and Multan, which killed 14 people. His family denies he is a spy as claimed by Pakistan and insists he accidentally strayed into the Pakistani territory.

The mercy petition of Sarabjit, who Pakistan claims is Manjit Singh, was rejected by Musharraf on March 3. His petition was sent to the President along with that of Kashmir Singh, who was freed after spending 35 years in Pakistani jails. Pakistan SC rejected Sarabjit’s plea for clemency in March 2006.