Stunned over the death of Sarabjit Singh, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Friday urged the Union Government to make concerted efforts for ensuring the early release of all the innocent Indian prisoners languishing in foreign jails, especially in Pakistan.
“Government of India (GoI) should exploit all diplomatic channels to ensure the early release of innocent Indian prisoners so that they could meet their families,” Badal said while talking to the media persons after attending Sarabjit's funeral, who was brutally attacked in Pakistan jail that led to his death.
Badal said that the Centre 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. It was Centre's duty to bring the innocent prisoners back home besides ensuring their safety in the foreign jails by raising these issues at the appropriate level.
Expressing profound grief and sorrow over Sarabjit's death, the Chief Minister said that he was a true national martyr. He added that the state government would take every step for ensuring the well being of Sarabjit’s family.
Reiterating that the country must know the exact cause of Sarabjit’s death, he said that the Centre 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 Sarabjit, 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.
Earlier, the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal and Revenue and Information and Public Relation Minister Bikram Singh Majithia laid wreath on Sarabbjit's body and paid homage to the departed soul.
Apart from them, several Cabinet Ministers, SAD-BJP leaders and MlAs also attended the cremation to pay last respect to the departed soul.