Pakistan'smidnight U-turn on the release ofSarabjit Singh, suspected to have been done under pressure from its powerfulmilitary-ISI establishment, has not gone down well with Indiaeven as New Delhi Wednesday renewedits pitch for the death row prisoner's release and awaited clarity on theissue.
Family members and friends of Sarabjit Singh, who wereTuesday night jubilant when the news broke about Pakistan planning to releasehim, were "disappointed and shattered" at the midnight twist ofevents as Islamabad clarified that it was Surjeet Singh, another prisoner inPakistani custody, who was being released.
Pakistan'sU-turn on release of Sarabjit, a long-standing Indian request, has not gonedown well with Indiaand has cast a shadow over the talks between Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathaiand his Pakistani counterpart Jalil Abbas Jilani in New Delhi July 4-5.
"I have seen media reports about the impending releasefrom imprisonment in Pakistan of Surjeet Singh, son of Sucha Singh. I welcomethis decision and further renew our request to the president of Pakistanto release Sarabjit Singh," External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna toldreporters here.
Sarabjit has been in Pakistan'scustody for well over two decades and faces a death sentence for his allegedcomplicity in a string of blasts in the Punjab provincecities of Lahore and Multanin 1990.
Krishna's statement came after Pakistandid an inexplicable volte face about releasing Sarabjit Singh Tuesday night.
On June 26, the Pakistani media carried reports of Sarabjitgetting a presidential pardon. However, Islamabadclarified around midnight that it wasnot Sarabjit but Surjeet Singh, his fellow inmate at Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore,who would be released.
Admitting confusion over the issue, Krishnasaid he has also seen media reports and stressed that Indiawas awaiting official communication from the Pakistangovernment and a report from the Indian High Commission in Islamabadon this issue.
Krishna, however, renewed request tothe Pakistangovernment to take a lenient and humanitarian view and also release Sarabjit.
"As you are aware, the government of Indiahas consistently urged the government of Pakistan,on several occasions, to take a sympathetic and humanitarian view in the caseof Sarabjit Singh," he said.
"I also appeal to the government of Pakistanto release all Indian nationals who have completed their prison terms andrequest the release of all other Indians who are serving jail sentences inPakistani prisons for petty crimes," Krishna said.
Senior ministers also backed Krishnain requesting Sarabjit's release on humanitarian grounds.
Pakistanshould look at the case of the death row prisoner Sarabjit Singh sensitivelyand compassionately, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said inThiruvananthapuram.
Pakistanclaims that Sarabjit, who is known as Manjit Singh there, was involved instaging four blasts in Lahore and Multanin 1990, which claimed 14 lives. His family however, maintains that Sarabjit, aresident of border town of Bhikhiwind,had strayed across the border in an inebriated state in August 1990.
Surjeet, who has been in Pakistani custody for over 30years, was captured near the India-Pakistan border on charges of spying duringZia-ul-Haq's tenure and was on the death row too, but his sentence was commutedto life imprisonment in 1989.
"I think there is some confusion. First, it is not acase of pardon. More importantly, it is not Sarabjit. It is Surjeet Singh, sonof Sucha Singh. His death sentence was commuted in 1989 by President GhulamIshaq Khan on the advice of then prime minister Benazir Bhutto,"presidential spokesperson Farhatullah Babar was quoted as saying by Geo News.
While the reasons for Pakistan'sflip-flop are not clear, informed sources pointed out that Pakistan'spowerful military establishment may have vetoed the government's decision.
Home Minister P. Chidambaram said it was difficult to figureout how and what happened.
The Bharatiya Janata Party asked the government to explainhow Krishna could announce that Pakistanwould release Sarabjit Singh but the name was later changed to Surjeet Singh.
The party's senior leader Yashwant Sinha accused the Pakistangovernment of buckling under the pressure from some terrorist organisations.
The Pakistani media has termed the flip-flop as an"international embarrassment" for the Pakistangovernment.