Islamabad, March 27
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari today remitted the remaining jail term of Indian convict Gopal Das, who has been imprisoned in Pakistan for 27 years. The move comes days ahead of a visit to India by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to watch the cricket World Cup semifinal featuring teams of the two countries.

Zardari remitted the remaining prison term of Das “on humanitarian grounds”, presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said.

The remission was granted on the advice of the Prime Minister to “honour an appeal of the Supreme Court of India to the government of Pakistan”, he said.

A two-judge bench of the Indian Supreme Court had appealed to the Pakistan government earlier this month to remit the remaining period of Das’ sentence and release him on humanitarian grounds.

“The President signed the remission advice in the wee hours, soon after the invitation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was accepted and it was decided that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani would proceed to Mohali to witness the semifinal cricket match between the teams of the two countries,” Babar said. — PTI 

New Delhi, March 27
Just a fortnight ago, the advocate of Gopal Das, a resident of Punjab languishing in a Pakistani jail for nearly 27 years after being convicted for spying, was very upset with a Supreme Court Bench comprising Justices Markandey Katju and Gyan Sudha Misra.

In fact, the advocate, Arvind Kumar Sharma, started walking out of the courtroom to register his protest over the Judges’ decision to dispose of the PIL despite the fact that the government was unable to secure the release of Gopal Das.

“We are disposing of your petition after passing an order appealing to the Pakistan government for the release of Gopal Das,” Justice Katju told Sharma, upon which the advocate said since the Bench was not even prepared to hear his arguments, he was leaving the courtroom.

He was, however, pacified by Justice Gyan Sudha. Then Justice Katju explained to Sharma that the Bench was passing an order, citing an Urdu couplet of famous Pakistani poet, Faiz Ahmed Faiz. “Let the prisoners have a feel of the cool morning breeze. (Qafas udaas hai yaaron sabaa se kuch to kaho kaheen to beher-e-khuda aaj zikr-e-yaar chale),” the Bench said, quoting the poet.

Justice Katju further explained that since the government’s efforts through diplomatic channels had failed to yield any positive result, the SC was left with the only option of issuing a “moving appeal” to the Pakistan government. “Are you keen on securing the release of your client or on finding fault with the government,” the Bench asked Sharma.

Using the opportunity, the SC also appealed to Pakistan to consider the release of not only Gopal Das, but also other Indian prisoners, estimated at 182. The Bench clarified that it was restricting itself to making an appeal since the SC did not have any jurisdiction over the Pakistan government.

Commending the Pakistan Supreme Court for recently ordering the release of 442 Indian prisoners on a plea by a committee of retired judges and senior advocates of the neighbouring country, the Bench said the gesture was generously reciprocated by India by releasing many Pakistani prisoners on this side of the border. “Thus, there is a humanitarian spirit on both sides, which we applaud,” the Bench remarked.

With the Pakistan government granting pardon to Gopal Das today and deciding to release him, the SC’s innovative move has paid off.