The Punjab Assembly on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution urging the Government of India to again take up the matter of the release of Indian convict Sarabjit Singh, who was on death row, with the Pakistan government.
A resolution to this effect was moved by Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal in the Legislative Assembly, which also requested the Centre to take the necessary steps for the release of several prisoners of war (PoW) and other Indians who were languishing in jails in Pakistan due to legal impediments.
Expressing happiness over the recent release of Surjeet Singh, who spent almost 30 years of his life in a Pakistan jail, the chief minister congratulated him, his family members, all Punjabis and countrymen on behalf of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the SAD-BJP alliance government.
He also announced that the Punjab government would seriously contemplate to extend appropriate help for the rehabilitation of Mr Surjeet Singh within the legal frame work as per the wishes of his family.
The chief minister, in the resolution, said that he, along with the entire country, welcomed the decision for the release of Mr Surjeet Singh and felt the need to create an atmosphere of harmony between the two countries, which would be beneficial for people across the border, by releasing Sarabjit Singh, who was on death row since long.
Mr Badal also mentioned that the immediate release of Sarabjit Singh would further boost ties between both the nations in the present cordial scenario, especially created after the opening of the integrated checkpost (ICP) at Attari.
The chief minister said that he had already taken up the issue for seeking the release of Sarabjit Singh with the Union government several times personally and through correspondence also.
The resolution also specifically pointed out that even some organisations in Pakistan have raised the issue of Sarabjit’s innocence.