Friday, August 26 2005 09:39 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: Pakistan would officially begin considering a response to growing appeals from India to release Sarabjit Singh, who has been sentenced to death, when the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Senate meets here today (August 26, 2005).

The committee would review the situation following the pronouncement of death sentence on Singh and the concerns expressed by the Indian Government, Pakistan's Online news agency reported yesterday (August 25, 2005).

Foreign Minister, Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri and Foreign Secretary, Riaz Ahmad Khan, will attend, it said.

The committee will also review steps taken by the Government for the release of over 400 Pakistani prisoners held in Indian jails, it said.

India currently awaits Pakistan's response to its request to provide consular access to Singh, housed in Khot Lakhpath jail.

Singh's family is insisting that he had been wrongly convicted and it was a case of mistaken identity.

Singh, who Pakistan claims is Manjit Singh and a RAW agent involved in the 1990 bomb blasts in Lahore, has been sentenced to death and the lower court's order was recently upheld by the Supreme Court.