After 18 long years of separation, Sarabjit Singh’s family will finally get to meet him in jail. But they are not sure whether to feel happy or sad. Preparing to cross over to Pakistan on Wednesday and clinging to the hope of getting Sarabjit, sentenced to be hanged on May 1, freed from the gallows, sister Dalbir Kaur said that the time was running out. “I cannot tell you how I will feel when I will see my brother in jail after 18 years. I always had the hope that I will see him one day and he will be united with the family,” she said. With their passports in hand, the family members have been purchasing eatables, clothes and preparing home-made food, like kheer and petha, for Sarabjit. “This day is too long and I am waiting for the moment when we will cross over to the neighbouring country tomorrow to see Sarabjit,” she said, adding that she was in constant touch with Pakistan human rights activist Ansar Burney. “Burney and our lawyer Rana Abdul Hamid will meet us in Lahore. I have spoken to them as a fresh plea for clemency has been filed with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf. It will be known only after reaching there whether we will be able to meet Sarabjit,” she said. Sarabjit’s wife Sukhpreet Kaur, daughters, Swapandeep and Poonam, and brother-in-law Baldev Singh will also be going to Pakistan on Wednesday. Burney’s statement that there were loopholes in investigations into the cases of serial bomb blast in Lahore and Multan in 1991 that led to Sarabjit’s arrest, has given another ray of hope for the mercy plea. Dalbir said they have all along been saying that Sarabjit was innocent and had strayed into Pakistan’s territory in an inebriated state. She said they would stay in Lahore and leave for Kot Lakhpat jail to meet Sarabjit. “We only have a week to save him. The governments of the two countries and the people must help us,” said Sukhpreet. She said her daughters were waiting to see their father, as the younger one was born after he strayed into Pakistan. “I have not seen Papa and even Didi cannot recall much about him. I have seen only his photographs. Now I am looking forward to see him,” said Poonam, the younger daughter.
