Have Mercy

The other day was reading Samjhutta Express blast victims buried in an unkempt graveyard .The graveyard in Panipat, has 29 Pakistani buried who died in the Samjhota Express train blast .The bodies in burial ground are still looking for a tombstone with their names instead of undignified numbers stating the indifference of the authorities of both the countries.

Today we come to know that Kashmir Singh ala Ibrahim captured in 1973 who has been languishing in a death cell in a Pakistani prison for the last 35 years, will return to his home in India soon.

He was one of the unfortunate prisoners not released with of 64 civilians, including 61 Punjabis, by Pakistan in sept 2005. His family held Indian Government responsible for not handling Kashmir Singh’s case properly. Recruited in the Indian Army on March 4, 1962, he worked with the intelligence wing of (Military Intelligence) till 1970 and was honored with a commendation certificate in 1971. Recruited in the Punjab police as a constable he was shown in service till August 11, 1972, and after that was shown in leave in police records.

The family came to know about Kashmir Singh after he wrote a letter to his wife Paramjit Kaur in 1977. In his letter, Kashmir Singh had mentioned that he had been awarded capital punishment by a Pakistani court. Meanwhile the family had approached Subedar Major at Jalandhar cantonment but to no benefit.

Kashmir Singh had been writing letter to his wife till 1991. But with the passage of time writing letters to each other became a costly affair as the family was under debt. During the tenure of Ms Benazir Bhutto, as Prime Minister her husband’s sentence was converted to life imprisonment. Certain CID officials from Jalandhar used to visit her regularly and gave Rs 5,000 for sundry expenses in the presence of the panchayat but discontinued after the family started receiving letters from Kashmir Singh. She sold milk and and worked and brought up two sons and a daughter with one son suffering with a paralytic attack.

The same Kashmir Singh who along with his wife gave away his life is in hope to reach his family. He is to be freed from the Pakistani prison on humanitarian grounds. The outgoing President Mush signed the petition. The same Mush who is undergoing a setback in his own country in the recent election because of is tyrannical policies. Mr. Ansar Burney who is a human right activist and a caretaker minister moved the petition.

There are plenty who cannot soak up this news like me. This junior constable charged on spying charge is being released after 35-years.what could have a junior constable done to be a prisoner under the espionage act. What about the other prisoners, there know bouts on which nobody has formal feedback on.

Mercy petition signed raise question?

This one gesture does not undo or pronounce the revelation of the prisoners still in the prisons of India and Pakistan . It’s unfair but hope for some and an eye opener for a little. Mr. Mush and the Indian Government tactics.Some people might see as a new leaf in India and Pakistan but I get a whiff of favoritism .

Is this a planned event or a tradeoff ?