News
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Pakistan stays execution of Sarabjit
LAHORE: The government has delayed until further notice the execution of an Indian man on death row on terrorism charges, a jail official said on Friday. Sarabjit Singh, whose family say he is the victim of mistaken identity, was to be hanged on April 1 after being convicted of involvement in the 1990 blasts that killed four people in Lahore. But President Pervez Musharraf, who had earlier rejected a mercy petition, delayed execution until April 30. Speaking to AFP on Friday, Malik Mubashir Ahmad Khan, superintendent of Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail, read out an Interior Ministry order, which said: “The execution of Indian national, Sarabjit Singh is stayed till further order.” The stay of execution, which jail authorities received on Friday, came days after Singh’s wife, daughters and sister visited Lahore to met him in prison. Pakistan maintains that Singh was an Indian spy, but he and his family say he is a farmer who accidentally strayed into Pakistani territory. afp
Courtesy Daily Times