Zardari writes to Manmohan for Chisty's repatriation

Islamabad, April 14 (IANS) Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urging him to send home on humanitarian grounds Pakistani scientist Khalil Chisty, who is serving a sentence in India for murder.

Chisty, 80, was granted bail by the Indian Supreme Court earlier this week after spending years in a jail in Ajmer for involvement in a clash that resulted in the death of a person in 1992 when he was visiting India to meet relatives.

Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said Zardari made the appeal for the scientist's release in a personal letter to Manmohan Singh.

"The letter was sent (Friday) to Pakistan's High Commissioner in India for onward delivery to the Indian prime minister," Babar said in Islamabad.

Zardari, in the letter, cited Chisty's "advanced age and his precarious health condition" for his repatriation

"May I request Your Excellency to intervene in the matter and allow Chisty's release and repatriation to Pakistan on humanitarian grounds," the letter said.

During his daylong visit to India last Sunday, Zardari took up the matter regarding Chisty's release with the prime minister in New Delhi.

Zardari, in his letter, said the gesture of sending Chisty home would add "momentum to the goodwill generated after resumption of the composite dialogue process between the two countries".

According to Dawn newspaper, Zardari has also asked Interior Minister Rehman Malik to make all arrangements to bring Chisty to Pakistan.

"All expenditures of Chisty's return to Pakistan will be borne by the government," the newspaper quoted an interior ministry statement.