Click to play videoNew Delhi: There's new hope for Sarabjit Singh, the Indian on death row in a Pakistani prison. His execution has been stayed a second time, until further notice. Human rights activists and lawyers speculate that Singh's sentence might be mitigated to a life sentence.
However, his appeal for clemency is still pending with president Pervez Musharraf. Sarabjit's lawyer is now hoping the sentence would be reduced to life imprisonment.
Reacting to the verdict Sarabjit’s sister Dalbir Kaur said, “Now I have strong hopes that the Government of Pakistan while considering the mercy petition of my brother would certainly set him free so that he could be repatriated to India to join his family."
She said that former Human Rights Minister of Pakistan Ansar Burney has played significant role to save Singh's life. It was Burney who had recently filed a fresh mercy petition before President Musharraf.
Kaur said, "Now I have firm faith on the existence of Almighty who ultimately shown his unseen power to save my Sarabjit. Now, God would also bring Sarabjit on Indian territory safe and sound so that he could participate in the marriage ceremonies of his two daughters Sawpandeep Kaur and Poonam."
What gives Sarabjit's lawyer hope is the ruling Pakistan People's Party Opposition to death penalty. Recently the party had called for relief for all prisoners on death row in Pakistan.
The stay on Sarabjit's hanging however might have more to do with the upcoming visit of India's external affair minister Pranab Mukherjee.
The Pakistan government, experts say, doesn't want to do anything that vitiates the atmosphere ahead of the peace talks.
Sarabjit family, who visited him in the Lahore prison recently, now believe he will one day walk free.
Sarabjit was sentenced to death for his alleged involvement in the 1990 blasts that killed four persons. His family says his conviction is a case of mistaken identity.
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