New Delhi: In the wake of reports that Indian national Sarabjit Singh would be hanged in Pakistan on April 1, India today hoped that Islamabad would be lenient towards Singh keeping in view the "sentiments of the people".

Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma said India has "limited options" in this case and can only request the Pakistan government to show some leniency towards Singh.

"In the Sarabjit Singh case, we had earlier also conveyed the strong sentiments of our people and requested for some clemency and reprieve to him. We hope that considering humanitarian aspects, some leniency would be shown to him (Singh)," he told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

His remarks came in the backdrop of media reports that Singh, who is on the death row for his alleged involvement in bomb blasts in Pakistan, has been served with the black warrant and will be hanged on April one.

"We have limited options and the Government of India has been conscious of the sentiments of the people and had earlier also conveyed the same to Pakistan government," he told reporters here on the sidelines of a function.

Asked whether the government had any official information on this issue from the Pakistan government, the minister said, "As per my knowledge, I came to know about the matter only through the media. Formally, the government has no information about it."

"... It is a very sensitive issue. We can only request the Pakistan government to show some leniency."

"It has been our endeavour to ensure that those prisoners in both the countries who have completed their sentences are released for which a committee has been set up," he said.
Source : PTI