Amritsar/Islamabad: Sarabjit Singh's family home near Amritsar erupted with joy today after Pakistan government put-off the hanging of the Indian death row prisoner indefinitely raising hopes of him escaping the noose.
"Sarabjit's execution has been stayed," Interior Secretary Syed Kamal Shah said.
Asked for how long would the execution process be halted, Shah said yesterday's order postponing the execution does not mention any time-frame. The execution was stayed till further orders by the government of Pakistan and the President of Pakistan, according to Sarabjit's lawyer Rana Abdul Hameed.
Sarabjit's wife, daughters and sister offered prayers at a Gurudwara at Bhikiwind village in Amritsar district and exchanged sweets.
Scenes of joy were witnessed amid hopes that Sarabjit may walk free after spending 18 years on death row in a Lahore jail.
"Now I am expecting that the Pakistan Government in the next few days would definitely extend the clemency," said Dalbir Kaur, sister of Sarabjit.
Sarabjit, whose family say he is the victim of mistaken identity, was to be hanged on April 1 after being convicted of involvement in 1990 blasts that killed four people in Lahore.
But President Pervez Musharraf, who had earlier rejected a mercy petition, delayed execution until April 30. The execution was further delayed by Pakistan authorities a few days before April 30 on technical grounds.
Significantly, the latest reprieve for Sarabjit, who is lodged in a Lahore prison for the last 18 years, comes days ahead of External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee's visit to Pakistan on May 21. Moves are also afoot in Pakistan to commute death sentences to life and Sarabjit may be benefitted if it goes through.
