Gilani: Bold initiative

Islamabad, July 3: The Pakistan cabinet has approved Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s initiative to commute death sentences of at least 7,000 prisoners into life imprisonment.

The cabinet, which met yesterday in Karachi, also endorsed the government’s decision to move a “summary” to President Pervez Musharraf in this regard.

Information minister Sherry Rehman said that the move will provide relief to thousands of people currently on death row.

The new Pakistan government had last month urged Musharraf to spare all the 7,000 prisoners on Pakistan’s death row, raising hopes for the release of Indian spy Sarabjit Singh.

Official sources in Islamabad said the interior ministry, which was waiting for the cabinet’s approval, would soon urge Musharraf to commute the death sentences.

If Musharraf signs on the dotted line, Sarabjit, sentenced to hang on spying and terrorism charges, can be freed since he has spent 18 years in Pakistani jails.

The government’s decision to commute the death sentences into life imprisonment came after leading domestic and international rights organisations, including Human Rights Watch, urged the new ruling coalition to abolish death penalty in Pakistan.