BJP asks UPA Govt. to convince Pakistan to release Sarabjit Singh

New Delhi, Aug 15 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday asked the ruling UPA Government to use all diplomatic channels to persuade and pressurise Pakistan to release Sarabjit Singh, the Indian who has been in jail for almost quarter of a century in that country now.

Senior BJP leader Balbir Punj said he felt that there was no crime in the world, which calls for this sort of long imprisonment.

"Sarabjit Singh has been in jail for almost quarter of a century. And, I don't think there is any crime in the world, which warrants this sort of long imprisonment. The Government of India must utilise all diplomatic channels, persuade and pressurise Pakistan to release Sarabjit Singh," said Punj.

"In fact, he has already suffered one cruel joke when it was announced that Sarabjit Singh will be released, and later on, he was not released, and the explanation was that there was confusion in the name," he added.

Sarabjit's sister, Dalbir Kaur, has appealed to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to instruct the Indian High Commission officials in Islamabad to immediately visit Kot Lakhpat jail and get Sarabjit's medical examination done.

Dalbir Kaur's appeal came after she received a letter from Sarabjit through his counsel Awais Sheikh who arrived in India on Tuesday to participate in the 'Hind-Pak Dosti Mela'. Sarabjit has in his letter expressed doubts over quality of food being served to him in jail following which there has been an injury in his left leg.

Sarabjit Singh had in another letter written to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi appealed her to help his family members in India get visa so that they could visit Pakistan to meet him in jail.Sarabjit Singh's family had earlier in June expressed shock at the confusion created by the Pakistan Government after reports emerged that the authorities had decided to release him, but later clarified that they had taken steps to release another Indian prisoner named Surjeet Singh.

Hours after reports emerged that Pakistan was to free Sarabjit Singh, it was clarified that the authorities had taken steps for the release of another Indian prisoner named Surjeet Singh.

Sarabjit, who was condemned to death for his involvement in a string of bombings in Punjab in 1990, had earlier last month filed a fresh clemency appeal to President Zardari. (ANI)