Saturday, August 27 2005 09:29 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Wagah (Amritsar): Dalbir Kaur, sister of Sarabjit Singh, sentenced to death for his alleged involvement in bomb blasts in Lahore and Multan in 1990, yesterday (August 26, 2005) submitted a memorandum addressed to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to Border Security Force (BSF) here for handing it over to Pakistani Rangers.

There was a big crowd of villagers of Bikhiwind at Wagah border when Dalbir Kaur submitted the memorandum. The two teenaged daughters, Swapandeep Kaur and Poonam of Sarabjit Singh were also present.

Dalbir Kaur said higher BSF officials, to whom she gave her memorandum, had assured her it would definitely be forwarded to Pakistani Rangers so that it could ultimately reach Musharraf.

The memorandum urges Musharraf to rise above political considerations and legal ramblings, considering Allah has bestowed him grace and power to pardon.

The Memorandum further said, "All the Indians entreat upon yourself (President Musharraf) to save the life of Sarabjit Singh, who has been languishing in the Kotlakhpat Rai jail of Lahore, west of Pakistan, for the last fifteen years."

"This one action of yourself, with the Allah's blessing, shall not only provide succour and solace to the wife, young children and other family members of Sarabjit Singh but shall also instill in the minds of crores of Indians a sense of deep gratitude for your Excellency and the people of Pakistan. It shall also initiate a process of greater brotherhood and affection between people of India and Pakistan," it said.

"The people of India also pray and hope that with the grant of clemency to Sarabjit Singh by your Excellency, a new trail shall be blazed whereby already warm relations between the two countries will be further cemented, paving the way for early release of all the prisoners being held by India and Pakistan in their respective jails, so that hundreds of families are united with their loved and dear ones," the Memorandum said.

During the peace march, Dalbir Kaur said her brother Sarabjit Singh, in an inebriated condition, had inadvertently crossed over to Pakistan from Khalra Border sector, nearest to Bikhiwind village and reached Kasoor district of Lahore, west of Pakistan, in June 1990. At that time, there was no fencing on the India-Pakistan international border, she said.

Bikhiwind village is about 45 kms away from Amritsar and Pakistan is just at a stone's throw. Even the movements of the people of Pakistan could be witnessed easily from Bikhiwind village, she said.

Nearly a week ago, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had upheld the death sentence awarded to Sarabjit Singh, as he was allegedly agent of Indian Intelligence Agency RAW. The prosecutor had alleged Singh had carried out series of bomb blasts in various cities of Pakistan.