Indian prisoner Surjeet Singh, who has served a life term following his arrest on charges of spying in the 1980s, was freed from Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail on Thursday.
Pakistani Policemen are escorting Singh to the Wagah International Border crossing, where he will be handed over to Indian authorities.
His family from Ferozepur and villagers, in full celebration mode, are at Wagah to receive him.
Singh has been in Pakistani captivity for over 30 years. Awais Sheikh, the counsel for Singh, told the media that the Indian national was arrested by Pakistani police on charges of spying during the regime of military ruler Zia-ul-Haq.
Singh was given the death sentence under the Pakistan Army Act in 1985. The death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 1989 by then President Ghulam Ishaq Khan.
Singh had held meetings with other prisoners in Kot Lakhpat Jail today to bid them farewell.
He also requested the authorities to serve him ‘sewai’ to celebrate his impending release, reports said.
Singh is expected to be repatriated along with 315 Indian fishermen who were freed from a jail in the southern port city of Karachi yesterday. The fishermen were released as a goodwill gesture.
Surjeet’s release comes after high-voltage midnight drama when Pakistan first announced that it was to free death row prisoner Sarabjit Singh, but hours later the presidential spokesman clarified that authorities had actually ordered the release of Surjeet and not Sarabjit.
—-PTI—