Pakistan to release Sarabjit Singh soon: lawyer

Islamabad: Sarabjit Singh, an Indian national on death row, is all set to be released by the Pakistani government, his lawyer Awais Sheikh says.

Sheikh has said that as per his information, the Pakistani government has decided to release Sarabjit Singh, Online news agency reported Friday.

Sheikh further said he hopes that Sarabjit Singh would be released before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Pakistan.

The lawyer further said that he hoped that Sarabjit would be released before PM Manmohan Singh\'s visit to Pakistan.

"The Government of Pakistan has, as per my information, decided to release Sarabjit Singh because of many reasons. I have filed a fresh mercy petition immediately after the release of Khalid Chishti, and I have given reasons to the honourable president for pardoning him, commuting his death sentence to life," said Sheikh.

"So, I hope before the visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Sarabjit Singh will be released. I am positive," he added.

Earlier it had been reported that Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has converted Sarabjit Singh's death sentence to life imprisonment and directed authorities to release him if he had completed his prison term.

Sarabjit, 49, who has spent 21 years on death row, is currently being held at Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail.

Sarabjit, who was condemned to death for his alleged involvement in a string of bombings in Punjab in 1990, had earlier last month filed a fresh clemency appeal to President Zardari.

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