Wednesday, December 21 2005 20:02 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: India has raised with Pakistan at a political level the issue of Sarabjit Singh, facing gallows in that country on charges of masterminding bomb blasts in two of its cities in 1990, the Lok Sabha was informed today (Dec 21, 2005).

The Indian High Commission is in touch with the Defence Counsel of Singh, who has filed an appeal petition in the Pakistan Supreme Court, Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.

He said the issue has also been raised at a political level with the Pakistan Government.

Singh was sentenced to death by an anti-terrorism court in Lahore in 1991 for his alleged involvement in bomb blasts in the city and in Faisalabad. The death sentence was upheld by the Pakistan Supreme Court in August this year.

Ahamed said three Indian nationals; Kripal Singh, Kashmir Singh and Gopal Singh are also reported to have been awarded death sentences, but details of these prisoners are yet to be confirmed as consular access has not been granted to them.

"The High Commission of India has been approaching the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan to provide consular access to all Indian prisoners lodged in different jails in Pakistan," Ahamed said.