ISLAMABAD: In a move that could bring some reprieve to Indian death row convict Sarabjit Singh, Pakistan government on Saturday announced plans to commute the death sentences of prisoners to life imprisonment.

Making the announcement, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani told Parliament that the Interior Ministry will be asked to "move a summary to President Pervez Musharraf to commute the sentence of those on death row to life imprisonment".

Under Pakistan Constitution, the President has powers to commute sentences.

The government's decision raised the prospects of the release of Sarabjit Singh, the 42-year-old Indian in jail for last 18 years for his alleged role in the 1990 bomb blasts in Lahore and Multan.

His hanging was put off indefinitely last month after the Indian government took up his case amid intense pressure from his family and human rights activists like Ansar Burney.

Burney, a former human rights minister in the Pakistan interim government, said it was a "great decision" which will help Sarabjit and ensure release of all those who have completed their life sentences.

"I am going to inform Sarabjit Singh's family.... For a long time the Indian government was also requesting the Pakistan government.... It is a great, great achievement," he said.

On the impact of the decision, Burney said "I think those who have completed their life sentence will be released as early as possible.

"But those who have some time to complete their life sentence, they will take a bit of time," the activist, who played a key role in the release of another Indian on death row in Pakistan, Kashmir Singh, said.

Gilani, who made the announcement to mark the 55th birth anniversary of his Pakistan People's Party leader Benazir Bhutto, also recommended remission of 90 days to the prisoners.

The remission will not apply to those involved in heinous crimes, Gilani was quoted as saying.

Source : PTI