New Delhi:
The family of Sarbjit Singh, the Indian sentenced to death in Pakistan for allegedly being a RAW spy and triggering explosions, on Saturday appealed to US President Barack Obama to use his influence to save him from the gallows and securing his release.
The mercy petition of Sarbjit is pending before Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari. Sarabjit was sentenced to death by a special anti-terrorist court of Pakistan in 1991 for allegedly engineering blasts in Pakistan.
Sarbjit was sentenced to death by a special anti-terrorist court of Pakistan in 1991 for allegedly engineering blasts in Pakistan. The Lahore High Court and the Pakistan Supreme Court upheld the death sentence. The Supreme Court also in July 2009 dismissed his review petition, following which he had filed the mercy petition before the Pakistani President which awaiting a decision.
At a press conference here along with the other two persons, Singh said he would represent Sarabjit's case through Elina Kagen, the US Solicitor General.
The trio appealed to the international community, particularly the US President, to put moral pressure on Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari before whom Sarabjit's mercy petition is pending.
Singh took the view that due process was not followed and even normal principle of criminal law that an accused must be proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt before his sentence, was not honoured by Pakistan while sentencing Sarabjit to death.