Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal today urged the Union government to make concerted efforts for ensuring the early release of all the innocent Indian prisoners languishing in the foreign jails especially in Pakistan.
Talking to the media persons after attending the funeral of Mr Sarabjit Singh, who was brutally killed in Pakistan jail, the Chief Minister said that the Government of India (GoI) should exploit all the diplomatic channels to ensure the early release of innocent Indian prisoners so that they could meet their families. He said that the Union government must raise this issue on the international forums and with the concerned countries so that these innocent prisoners could return back safely to their motherland. Mr Badal also said that it was the duty of the Union government to bring the innocent prisoners back to home besides ensuring their safety in the foreign jails by raising these issues at the appropriate level.
Expressing profound grief and sorrow over the death of Mr Sarabjit Singh, the Chief Minister said that he was a true national martyr adding that the state government would take every step for ensuring the well being of Mr Sarabjit Singh’s family. Reiterating that the country must know the exact cause of Mr Sarabjit’s death must, he said that the Union government must build up international pressure to get the causes of his martyrdom investigated by an impartial International agency. Exhorting the people to remain calm in this hour of grief and crisis, he said though the sentiments of the countrymen have been hurt by the merciless killing of Mr Sarabjit Singh but the need of the hour was to maintain communal harmony and peace in the country.
Replying to another query, the Chief Minister categorically said that the state government was committed for ensuring the safety and security of the Pakistani prisoners lodged in the Punjab jails adding that he had asked the Director General of Police (DGP) Jails to beef up the security of such prisoners for avoiding any untoward incident. Mr Badal said that the state government was duty bound to protect these prisoners in Punjab jails.
Earlier the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal and Revenue and Information & Public Relation Minister Mr Bikram Singh Majithia laid wreath on the body of Mr Sarabjit Singh and paid homage to the departed soul. Apart from these several Cabinet Ministers, SAD-BJP leaders and MLAs also attended the cremation to pay last respect to the departed soul.