Bhikhiwind (Tarn Taran), April 2
Ansar Burney was treated like a saviour of Indian prisoners lodged in Pakistani jails on his arrival at Sarabjit Singh’s house here today. Sarabjit is on the death row in a Pakistan jail.
Dalbir Kaur, sister of Sarabjit, tied a rakhi around his wrist and prayed that God would give him strength to get clemency for her brother.
Sarabjit’s wife Sukhpreet Kaur provided him with the documents carrying matter that Sarabjit’s was a case of mistaken identity. Her husband was being punished on the assumption that he was Manjit Singh, she added.
The documents included a voters list, driving licence, a copy of an FIR registered against him in 1985 under the Excise Act, bank passbooks, a post office account passbook and school leaving certificates of his daughters. Emotions ran high as scores of relatives of prisoners of war converged on this sleepy village, which is only 8 km from the border, in the hope of meeting Burney.
Meanwhile, Burney assured Sarabjit’s family that he would push his case for clemency.
“I am against violence in all forms and feel that both countries should deal with terrorism with an iron hand. No war, that is my motto,” he said.
On the issue of prisoners languishing in jails on both sides, Burney said the two governments should chalk out a lasting solution to the issue.
Ten families of Indian prisoners of war from Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir presented him with a book titled, “Indian Prisoners of War in Pakistan,” written by Raj Kumar Pattu and Brig Manmohan Sharma. Satya Devi, a resident of Kathua, said her son, Gopal Das, had been languishing in a Pakistani jail for years. Burney’s visit had rekindled her hope for his release.
Various organisations, including the Khalra Mission Committee, Kishan Sangharsh Committee and Global Human Rights Council submitted to Burney memoranda pertaining to issues of human
rights.
