Sarabjit Singh's family shocked

Sarabjit Singh's family is in a state of shock. A report carried by Urdu daily Daily Express on Sunday stated that the jailed Indian, dubbed by Pakistan as an intelligence agent, will be hanged on April 1. 

A pall of gloom descended on Sarabjit's Bhikiwind border village in Amritsar district with the womenfolk in almost a state of mourning.

"I will repeatedly say that my husband is innocent and he never the act alleged by Pakistani police. He is very humble and down to earth and could never snatch the life of any human being," Sarabjit's wife Sukhpreet Kaur told media persons.

She said the family was still optimistic about his repatriation and urged President Pratibha Patil, the prime minister and the Union home minister to talk with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on the matter.

"The Pakistan government has repatriated Kashmir Singh and now it's time for Musharraf to show kindness and extend clemency to my husband and Allah will bless them," Sukhpreet said, fighting back tears.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Human Rights Minister Ansar Burney, who played a major role in securing the release of Indian citizen Kashmir Singh from Kot Lakhpat jail in Pakistan, has promised to take up the release of Sarabjit Singh with President Musharraf.

Responding to the appeal of Sarabjit's sister Dalbir Kaur during a programme on a private television network, Burney said: "I assure you that I would take up the matter of Sarabjit Singh with President Musharraf and ask him to either to pardon or convert his sentence into life imprisonment."

Sarabjit was sentenced to death for his alleged involvement in bomb blasts in Lahore and Multan that killed about 14 people.

Additional Inputs: PTI