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There is a new hope raised for the Indian nation Sarabjit Singh, who is on death row in Pakistan jail after Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani announced plans to convert the death sentences of prisoners to life imprisonment.

Gilani on the birth anniversary of former PPP leader Benazir Bhutto on Saturday told Parliament that the Interior Ministry will be asked to ‘move a summary to President Pervez Musharraf to commute the sentence of those on death row to life imprisonment’.

Former Pakistan Human Rights Minister Ansar Burney confirmed the development, saying Sarabjit will be one of the beneficiaries. Sarabjit was on death row for last 18 years in Lahore jail for alleged involvement in 1990 Lahore bomb blasts which killed 14 lives.

His execution was delayed indefinitely last month after efforts of Ansar Burney and the Indian government took up his case amid intense pressure from his family.

In a mercy petition filed with the Pakistan President, Sarabjit had said that he is only a poor farmer and victim of mistaken identity, who strayed into Pakistan from his village located on the border. His mercy petition was rejected by President Musharraf on March 3 this year. He was awarded death sentence, but on April 29 this year, his execution was postponed for 21 days and again till further notice.

Sarabjit’s daughter Poonam Kaur expressed happiness over the development, and Burney described it as a great achievement.

Burney said another Indian on death row, Kirpal Singh would also benefit from the move.

The decision will raise hopes for other similar prisoners. However, the government is yet to confirm the move. Offering glowing tributes to Bhutto, who was assassinated in an election rally in Rawalpindi on December 27 last year, Gilani announced a number steps ‘for national reconciliation for which she was a torch bearer’. The prime minister announced the formation of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Trust, which will look after the children, particularly those from Federally Administered Tribal Areas, whose parents lost lives in terrorist attacks or by bombing.

Tags: Benazir Bhutto, Gilani, India, Pakistan, Sarabjit, Sarabjit Singh

Pakistan’s crucial general election for national and state assembly has been over in Pakistan on Monday that is expected to settle the fate of President Pervez Musharraf. In the meantime, ten people died during violence all around the country. The most obvious sign of that violence was the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto in December.

About 81 million people are eligible to vote in the elections, but many may be put off by concerns of violence in the country, a keystone in the U.S. battle against Islamic extremists.

The government had set up 81,000 troops and nearly 400,000 policemen who were on high alert for the polling, which began at 8 am (8.30 am IST) and ended at 5 pm (5.30 pm IST).

Polling has been put off in northwestern Parachinar region in Kurram tribal agency where 49 people were killed in a suicide attack on the last day of polling on Saturday. While a blast in a ballot house was reported in Sewat valley on Afganistaan border causing no injuries, authorities said, while one person was killed elsewhere as rival political parties exchanged gunfire.

Voters of Pakistan Muslim League were shot dead in Lahore. It was reported that 3 more people killed in similar violence.

Security forces reported three other explosions — one near a polling place in Quetta, in western Pakistan; another at a college being used as a polling station in the Federally Administered Tribal Area; and a third that was not near a voting venue.

Urban centre did witness some brisk polling with a turnout of about 30 per cent in cities like Islamabad and Lahore by 10 AM.

Clashes between political workers, forcible stamping of ballots at a handful of polling stations in Sindh and Punjab provinces was also reported.

PML-N leader Shahbaz Sharif blamed Musharraf’s main ally PML (Q) for the killing of its candidate Asif Ashraf. In this accident, his driver and personal assistant were also killed. Shooting in a polling office of PML-N killed a man in another case in Lahore.

Tags: Benazir Bhutto, Election, Pakistan, Parvez Musharraf