Common cry: Save Sarabjit from gallows

The Rajya Sabha demands a resolution against rejection of mercy plea of Sarabjit Singh by Musharraf, reports HT Correspondent.

Cutting across party lines, the Rajya Sabha on Monday demanded a House resolution against Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf’s rejection of mercy petition of Indian national Sarabjit Singh even as Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma on the sidelines of a function expressed hope that Islamabad would show "some leniency".

Earlier, Sarabjit’s sister Dalbir Kaur met Congress MP Rahul Gandhi with the appeal that he should take up the matter with the Government. “Rahul treated me as his elder sister and assured every possible help to save Sarabjit's life," she later told reporters, adding "If the PM puts pressure on the Pakistan government then nobody can hang him." Dalbir has also spoken to Pakistan’s caretaker Human Rights Minister A Burney.

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As soon as the Rajya Sabha met in the morning, Congress member Rashid Alvi took up the Sarabjit issue. His senior colleague Karan Singh expressed hope that Sarabjit’s clemency petition will be accepted and his life saved. On his part, while reacting to queries on the sidelines of a function, Anand Sharma said that India has "limited options" in the Sarabjit case and said that the Government can only request Islamabad to consider the humanitarian aspect of the matter.

Meanwhile, the BJP asked the government to talk to Pakistan 'sternly' to save 'innocent' Indian national Sarabjit from the death sentence. Party leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the entire nation was filled with "sadness, worry and anxiety" following reports that Sarabjit would be executed on April 1.