Date:20/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/20/stories/2008032060921200.htm

National

‘Decision on Sarabjit made before appeal’

Nirupama Subramanian

ISLAMABAD: Sarabjit Singh, the Indian prisoner whose hanging was fixed for April 1, got a month’s reprieve on Wednesday with President Pervez Musharraf issuing orders for deferring the “black warrant” until April 30.

“I can confirm that the President has been pleased to stay the hanging of Sarabjit Singh for one month,” Interior Ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema told The Hindu.

The Indian High Commission here said it had “informally” learnt of the deferment from the Pakistan Foreign Ministry.

But while Indian diplomats here linked the deferment to the appeals made to the retired General Musharraf by Sarabjit’s family, the Indian government and others, Pakistani officials declined to make that connection.

Foreign Office spokesman Mohammed Sadiq said he did not know the reason for the stay as it was an internal matter of the Interior Ministry.

Brig. Cheema said the President had taken the decision to defer the hanging before the appeal for mercy was received.

The Interior Ministry spokesman also rejected the impression that Sarabjit’s hanging was a tit-for-tat for the Kahsmir Singh and Khalid Mahmood incidents.

“Let me be very clear that General Musharraf rejected Sarabjit’s mercy petition much before the Kashmir Singh and Khalid Mahmood incidents. I think it was in February. It has nothing to do with those two incidents,” he said.