Sarabjit will not be hanged now: Burney

Chandigarh, Oct 29 (PTI) Amid reports of Sarabjit Singh
being shifted from a death row cell to one for political
prisoners in a Pakistani jail, noted rights activist Ansar
Burney Wednesday asserted the Indian national "will not be
executed now".

"Very soon something positive is going to take place in
Sarabjit's case. I can tell with confidence that Sarabjit will
not be hanged now in any case," he said.

Sarabjit has been on death row since a Pakistani court
had convicted him of triggering four blasts in 1990 that
killed 14 people in that country.

"At least it is not confirmed to me as of now whether
Sarabjit is shifted from death row cell to other, but I have
moved a third mercy petition seeking that his capital
punishment must be converted to life imprisonment in the
interest of the cause of humanity," Burney told P.T.I. here.

The Pakistani rights activist said all evidence against
Sarabjit are proving incorrect in the court of law and there
has already been an indefinite stay on his execution.

He, however, said the contention of family members of
Sarabjit that he inadvertantly crossed border under the
influence of alcohol was totally wrong.

"After looking at the history and case sheet of Sarabjit
I find him innocent at a few places," he said, adding that it
was alleged that Sarabjit was involved in four cases of
terrorism, but it was not mentioned in the F.I.R.

"He will not get capital punishment," Burney, who came
here to meet his Indian lawyer-friend, said. PTI VJ
PMR