India to take up Sarabjit issue with Pakistan in Home Secretary-level talks

New Delhi: India will take up with Pakistan the issue of early release of Sarabjit Singh, the condemned Indian prisoner currently lodged in a Lahore jail, during the Home Secretary-level talks on May 24-25.

This was conveyed by Home Minister P. Chidambaram to Sarabjit's sister Dalbir Kaur, who met him in Delhi on Monday to request him to ask Home Secretary RK Singh to raise the issue of Sarabjit during the forthcoming talks in Islamabad.

"The Home Minister assured me that the Home Secretary will raise the issue of early release of Sarabjit during the talks with Pakistan. I am hopeful about a positive outcome in the meeting," Kaur said.

Sarabjit\'s sister appeals to Pakistan to release him on humanitarian ground like India did in case of Chishti.

Kaur told Chidambaram that India should take the advantage of the recent bonhomie between the two countries and try its best to get the release of Sarabjit.

"I appeal to the Pakistan government to release Sarabjit on humanitarian ground like India did in case of Pakistani virologist Khalil Chishti," she said.

Sarabjit was convicted for his involvement in 1990 serial bomb blasts in Lahore and Multan that killed 14 people. He was given death sentence, but his hanging was repeatedly postponed and he is imprisoned in the Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore.

Kaur said she would meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and Water Resources Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal to request them to do the needful for early release of Sarabjit.

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