Amir Mir

Islamabad: After getting a nod from president Musharraf ’s office, the prime minister’s secretariat has directed the ministry of law and the ministry of interior to find a way out to send back the convicted Indian national Sarabjit Singh alive to India.

According to highly-placed sources in Islamabad, having been persuaded by the PM’s secretariat on the direction of Pakistan People’s Party chief Asif Zardari, the president’s office has sent the Sarabjit case to the law ministry to find a legal cover and to pave the way for the release of the Indian national.

The sources say the ministries are presently focusing on a proposal to ensure the exchange of some Pakistani prisoners from India in return for Sarabjit Singh.

However, as things stand, they are unable to find out a legal cover for the same, though deliberations are still on.

The sources said Musharraf has already deferred the execution of Sarabjit on the request of the new government and there is a strong possibility of announcing clemency for him during foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to Islamabad.

The sources say the law ministry had already recommended to the PM’s secretariat converting the death sentence for all those in the dearth row across Pakistan to a life term. And Sarabjit could be one of them.

Source : DNA