Wednesday, August 24 2005 15:02 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: As the family of Sarabjit Singh, sentenced to death for his alleged involvement in explosions in Pakistan, pleaded for clemency, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid said under Islamic law he could be pardoned only by the relatives of the victims of the blasts.

Lahore-based lawyer of Singh, who Pakistan claims is Manjit Singh and a RAW agent involved in the 1990 bomb blasts in Lahore, said he would file a review petition in the Supreme Court which has upheld Singh's death sentence recently.

"As per the Pakistan Islamic law, only families of those who died in the bomb blasts can give him pardon and no other person. This is my understanding of the Islamic law. The President cannot pardon the accused," Rashid told sources.

He said if the victims' families did not forgive him 'nobody else can give him any relief'.

His comments came a day after Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri said an appeal for clemency can be made to the President.

Singh's lawyer R A Hameed said that, "After inspecting the judgement of the Supreme Court I will prepare the case from the legal aspects, sectional aspects and all other aspects of the case which has not been considered in the review petition".

On India's request for consular access to Singh, Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesman Naeem Khan said no decision has yet been taken.

The Pakistan Foreign Office yesterday (Aug 23, 2005) rejected the contention of Singh's family that it was a case of mistaken identity.

"Sarabjit Singh himself admitted before the court that he has been changing his name sometimes as Sarabjit Singh and sometimes as Manjit Singh, therefore, there is no question of mistaken identity," an unnamed Foreign Ministry official said.

Singh was arrested in 1990 under charges of espionage and terrorism, he said. "It is now 15 years since he was arrested and this question (of identity) was never raised earlier."

After his arrest, Singh was accused of carrying out bomb blasts in Lahore, Kasur and Faisalabad, he said.

Singh also 'admitted' before the court that he had been 'involved' in bomb blasts and terrorist activities in Pakistan.

He was provided legal assistance to fight his case in the courts of law, the official claimed.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday assured a delegation of Congress MPs and MLAs from Punjab that he would take up the case with the Pakistani President.

Terming it as a humanitarian issue, External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh said, "We will take up the issue with the Government of Pakistan".