Click to play videoNew Delhi: The hanging of Indian national Sarabjit Singh, who has been convicted of been involved in bomb blasts in Pakistan, has reportedly been deferred by 30 days.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee confirmed that the execution of Sarabjit has been stayed till April 30.
"The High Commission of India in Pakistan has informed us that the execution has been deferred by one month, this is partial success. We will continue our efforts so that his life can be saved," Mukherjee said.
Sarabjit was to be earlier hanged on April 1.
He has been convicted of being involved in multiple bomb explosions in Lahore and Multan in 1990, in which 14 people were killed.
However, there has been no official confirmation about the deferment from the Pakistani government. But reports from Pakistan quoting an official from the Foreign Office also say that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf may pardon Sarabjit on humanitarian grounds.
Reacting to the news, Sarabjit's sister Dalbir Kaur said, "I am happy. I will be able to meet my brother after 18 years. I have waited for 18 years to see him, to hear him. I have full faith in God and I don't think Musharraf will ignore the pro-India voices."
She further said, "I don't think Ansar Burney (Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, who had earlier said that he wasn't keen to help Sarabjit as the Indian had been convicted on terror related charges) is vacillating. He must have had some compulsions, which is why he could not act on behalf of Sarabjit. He even spoke to Sarabjit's younger daughter and assured her."
"I am sure Sarabjit's case will set a precedent for setting free other Indian prisoners. They will get to meet their families," she said.
"This has been a struggle for India, not mine alone. When I leave for Pakistan, I will plead with Musharrafsaab and Ansarsaab to take into account his (Sarabjit's) 18-year-long incarceration. His life sentence is already completed," Dalbir added.
A Black Warrant, which is the last stage of all appeal, had been issued on March 16 for the hanging of Sarabjit. The warrant was issued after Musharraf rejected his mercy plea on March 3.
In March 2006, the Supreme Court of Pakistan, too, had rejected his plea for clemency.
Sarabjit’s family denies he was a spy as claimed by Pakistan and insists he accidentally strayed into Pakistani territory.
He is currently imprisoned in a high-security jail near Lahore.
On Tuesday India had appealed to Pakistan for Sarabjit's clemency on humanitarian grounds.
Sarabjit's sister also handed over a clemency petition at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi with a plea to Musharraf to show leniency towards her brother.
The Pakistan government had complained that the release of another Indian, Kashmir Singh, after 35 years was a gesture of goodwill by Pakistan and that it was reciprocated badly by sending across the body of a Pakistani cricket fan.
Pakistan cited the case of Khalid Mehmood, who had come to India to watch a cricket match and had been held for spying. Later on, his body had been handed over to Pakistan authorities.
India has responded to the charge and saying that the Pakistan government had been kept informed of the cricket fan, Khalid Mehmood's arrest, trial and subsequent death.
Khalid had come to India on a cricket visa but was arrested with sensitive documents.
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