Won’t let Sarabjit be hanged: Burney
Monday, 23/04/2012
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120424/punjab.htm#12
Noted human rights activist from Pakistan Ansar Burney today said he would not let Sarabjit Singh, who is on death row there, to be hanged to death till he (Burney) was in Pakistan.
Talking to mediapersons before returning to Pakistan, Burney said: “I feel anybody should not be punished twice for the same crime. He had been sentenced to 14 years in jail and then his term was extended to 25 years. Now, only three years of his sentence are left”.
He demanded that death penalty be abolished in both countries. “In a legal system where witnesses can be bought in lieu of cash, there should be no death penalty”. He said a fresh clemency petition had already been filed before the Pakistan President in Sarabjit’s case and he was hopeful of a positive outcome.
On the issue of Pakistan virologist Dr Khalil Chishti, Burney said the former was around 80 years of age and suffering from various ailments and therefore, he should be allowed to return to his country alive. “I guarantee that I will produce him whenever the Indian court wants him to appear for any hearing,” he said, adding that repatriating him to Pakistan would send a good message.
He said there were a large number of prisoners on both the sides who had completed their jail term, but were still languishing in prisons. “Both the countries are treating them less as prisoners and more as enemies,” he said, demanding that they should be released immediately.
