Updated on
Summary Sarabjits father appeals to President Zardari seeking mercy for son on Pak Independence Day.
His lawyer Awais Sheikh, who met Sarabjit in Lahore jail, in an email to the prisoners daughter Swapandeep, said that her father had signed the letter addressed to Zardari for his mercy on the 65th Independence Day of Pakistan.Sheikh quoted Sarabjit as saying that he was very disappointed and saddened when the recent news about his release turned out to be wrong.Sheikhs email to Swapandeep was forwarded to former Supreme Court Chief Justice Markandey Katju, who had strongly taken up the case of the release of veteran Pakistan scientist Khalil Chishty from a prison in Rajasthan recently.Justice Katju wrote back to Sheikh , saying the conviction of Sarabjit was flawed and demanded his immediate release.I have carefully studied Sarabjits case and am convinced that he was not guilty of the charge against him in the Lahore bomb blast case.The main prosecution witness Shaukat Salim, later retracted his statement and said it was given under police pressure, he said adding the other evidence was Sarabjits alleged confession but we all know how such confessions are obtained in our countries (by third degree methods).He said it was unfortunate that in both our countries we often regard each others citizens as devils, and I strongly believe that both Khalil Chishty and Sarabjit were victims of that mindset.Justice Katju said he had sent several letters to Zardari in connection with Sarabjits case, but has received no response.He sent copies of his email to senators Babar and Iqbal Haider, as well as to Asma Jehangir, the President of the Supreme Court Bar Association and to Chaudhry Fawad Husain, the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan with a request that they should do whatever to obtain justice for Sarabjit.He also sent a copy of his mail to the secretary of actor Salman Khan, who has organised a campaign for the release of Sarabjit.
