Tuesday, August 30 2005 13:22 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: Two Indian diplomats today (August 30, 2005) met Sarabjit Singh, sentenced to death for blasts in Pakistan, at the high-security Kot Lakhpath jail on the outskirts of Lahore.

Deepak Kaul, Consular Visa and S C Sharma, Attache Visa, of the Indian High Commission, drove to the prison where Singh has been lodged, officials here said.

Reports from Lahore said the officials had entered the prison where Sarabjit is lodged and the meeting is taking place. The meeting was expected to last for over an hour.

The consular access, first in Sarabjit's 15 years of imprisonment here has been granted by Pakistan after India made a second request following the Supreme Court verdict on August 18, 2005 confirming the death sentence imposed by an Anti-Terrorism court and Lahore High Court.

The aim of the meeting was to establish the nationality of Sarabjit who has also been identified as Manjit Singh by Pakistani authorities.

During the meeting, Indian officials would collect all his details, his version of arrest and subsequent detention in 1990 and process of trial in Anti Terrorist Court, Lahore High Court and Supreme Court, where his alleged confession that he was an Indian spy played a prominent part in his conviction even though he subsequently denied making it.

The Indian officials would also inquire about his health and his assessment of the trial process to the Indian Government. Action on his case, including chalking out further strategy for his release, would be worked out after confirmation of his national status and other details from him, Indian High Commission officials said.