Death sentence award to Sarabjit has attracted many on-lookers on international level from Pakistani President to the Indian Parliament and from the fundamentalists in Pakistan to the commoners in India. The release of Kashmir Singh raised hopes for the families of Indian war prisoners held in Pakistan. However the way Sarabjit Singh issue is being handled, the hopes are getting trimmed.
Parvez has announced the postponement of Sarabjit hanging by 30 days. These thirty days postponement was announced when the official clemency was filed by Indian government for Sarabjit's release. However, the Indian officials have gone on record that there wont be any release from India's end to Sarabjit. It was argued many times before that some of the dreaded Pakistani terrorists should be released. Likes of Afzal Guru, should be hanged.
However there is no execution of such court judgments yet. There are many terrorists in Indian jail who are recognized as terrorists on international level and deserve to be hanged. And letting these guys go free can turn out to be fatal, if not anything else. A case in point is Maulana Masood Azhar, the same guy who masterminded the 9/11 conspiracy who was let go in exchange of the kidnapped passengers of Air India aeroplane. And hence in no case, the trading of criminals for the innocents should be carried out.
There is a need to look at Sarabjit's release in greater detail. Most of the times, India is known for a victorious nation in the battlefield and as a loser in when it comes to signing of war treaties.
India at this level should however play the game carefully as Pakistan at this moment is experiencing turbulent times and there is a possibility to build pressure on Pakistani government for release of Indian nationals, who are innocent. Especially at a time, when the USA and the European countries need a friendship with India, it is very much possible to get back out people. The Indian government must sense the opportunity and build on to it, to get back the war-prisoners of 1972 war at least. |
