Pak court rejects Sarabjit Singh's plea

     Islamabad/ New Delhi: The Supreme Court of Pakistan today rejected the review petition of Sarabjit Singh and upheld the death sentence pronounced by the Court earlier. Sarabjit Singh, a 40-year old Indian from Bhikiwindi in east Punjab was convicted for allegedly spying in Pakistan and masterminding four bomb blasts in Pakistan in 1991 that left 14 people dead. Pakistan's apex court today rejected his second review petition. The first petition was rejected on technical grounds. Though there are two more review petitions left in the Supreme Court, the defence lawyer of Sarabjit Singh, Rana Abdul Hameed, said today that the latest verdict has left them without much hope. "We are expecting the court to deliver its order on the other petition in a week, but we have no hope, said Rana after coming out of the court. The Pakistan Supreme Court has sentenced Sarabjit to death in all the cases of bomb blasts in Lahore, Faisalabad and Yakkigate in 1990-91. Defence lawyers had argued that Sarabjit case was a case of mistaken identity as his real name is Manjit Singh who had 'inadvertently' entered the Pakistan border and was arrested by the Pakistan Rangers. Rana informed that now he is looking to send a mercy plea to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf requesting him to give clemency. Thursday's verdict comes as a major blow for a large number of people in India who were hoping to get some good news. Sarabjit Singh's case had generated a lot of sympathy and led to the opening of several non-formal channels of communication on the issue between the two countries.

     Earlier, Sarabjit's family members had threatened to commit suicide if he was executed, saying it was a case of mistaken identity as he was a farmer who had trespassed into Pakistan in an inebriated state. The Indian Government had earlier sought clemency for Sarabjit and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had raised the issue during his talks with Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly Summit, September last year. Musharraf had said then that he was a compassionate man but would need to look into the legal aspects of the case, before considering mercy plea.

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