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Surjeet returns to India, says he was caught spying for India there
Clean Media Correspondent
Attari, June 28 (CMC) Held in Pakistan on spying charges in the early 1980s, Surjeet, 69, was released from Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail early and made the road journey to Wagah, on the Pakistan side of the border, before entering his homeland.
Smiling and waving to family members, friends and supporters, Surjeet thanked Pakistani border officials as he walked across the zero line at the international border.
He was garlanded and hugged by family members and fellow villagers from Phidde in Ferozepur district. Dozens of camera crews and media persons jostled with each other to capture the moment.
"I am very happy to return after 30 years and meeting my children and family," Surjeet said.
"Indian prisoners are treated well in Pakistan jails. Sarabjit Singh is also doing well there. He has sent no message with me. Leave it to me, I will get him released," Surjeet told reporters, referring to Sarabjit Singh, also from Punjab who has been in Kot Lakhpat jail.
Surjeet Singh said he used to meet Sarabjit, 49, on a weekly basis in the same prison.
"He is not facing any problems there. He is fine," Surjeet told reporters at the Wagah border.
He claimed that all efforts for the release of Sarabjit Singh by India went in vain after it was highlighted in the media as certain groups in Pakistan opposed his release.
"I wish Sarabjit Singh is released at the earliest so that he could meet his family in India."
About the drama after Pakistani TV channels flashed that Sarabjit Singh was being released and later stated that it was not Sarabjit but Surjeet, he claimed, "All this happened due to spelling mistakes as in Urdu language the spelling of Surjeet and Sarabjeet are almost similar."
He said, "Now I will make efforts to get Sarabjeet released from Pakistan...I don't know how I will do it but, certainly, I will meet the authorities concerned in India for Sarabjeet."
When asked why he crossed over to Pakistan, he said, "Yes, I went there for spying."
Dressed in a white kurta-pyjama and black turban and carrying two bags, Surjeet was brought to the Wagah border on the Pakistan side in a prison van.
Though he had been freed, his left hand was in handcuffs. The accompanying policemen got down with him but did not open the handcuffs.
He smiled and hugged his lawyer. Once the formalities were completed, he crossed to the Attari side of the joint border checkpost, about 30 km from Amritsar, where his family and friends waited excitedly to meet him.
His son Kulwinder, holding a box of sweets, couldn't hold back his tears. The family had given up hope of seeing him again, presuming him to be dead after he went missing near the border in Ferozepur sector in 1982.
"I was only two-three years old when he went missing. This is the biggest day of my life," said Kulwinder, with his mother Harbans Kaur next to him.
"We are very happy that he is being finally released. We will have big celebrations," said Kulwinder, who arrived here Thursday morning with family members, relatives and villagers.
Indian border officials took Surjeet, who had spent 30 years in Pakistani jails on charges of spying, into a room for a briefing. Surjeet completed his life term in 2005.
"We are all very eager to receive him. We will make him very comfortable here," Surjeet's daughter-in-law said in his village.
From Attari, his family members took Surjeet to Amritsar to offer prayers at the holiest of Sikh shrines, Harmandar Sahib (popularly known as Golden Temple).
Pakistan authorities are also likely to allow nearly 300 Indian fishermen to walk back to India after their release from Karachi prison Wednesday. Most of the fishermen are from Gujarat.
They were in Pakistani custody for periods ranging from a few months to three years after they were accused of violating Pakistan's territorial water off the coast of Gujarat.
Surjeet's release came in the midst of the controversy and flip-flop over the release of Sarabjit Singh.
The Pakistan side had on Tuesday evening announced that Sarabjit, who is facing death penalty on terrorism charges, would be released after his death sentence was commuted by Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari.
Singh served a life term following his arrest on charges of spying in the 1980s in Pakistan. He 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.
Pakistani security personnel had escorted Singh to the Wagah land border crossing, where he was handed over to Indian authorities.
Surjeet returns to India, says he was caught spying for India there
Clean Media Correspondent
Attari, June 28 (CMC) Held in Pakistan on spying charges in the early 1980s, Surjeet, 69, was released from Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail early and made the road journey to Wagah, on the Pakistan side of the border, before entering his homeland.
Smiling and waving to family members, friends and supporters, Surjeet thanked Pakistani border officials as he walked across the zero line at the international border.
He was garlanded and hugged by family members and fellow villagers from Phidde in Ferozepur district. Dozens of camera crews and media persons jostled with each other to capture the moment.
"I am very happy to return after 30 years and meeting my children and family," Surjeet said.
"Indian prisoners are treated well in Pakistan jails. Sarabjit Singh is also doing well there. He has sent no message with me. Leave it to me, I will get him released," Surjeet told reporters, referring to Sarabjit Singh, also from Punjab who has been in Kot Lakhpat jail.
Surjeet Singh said he used to meet Sarabjit, 49, on a weekly basis in the same prison.
"He is not facing any problems there. He is fine," Surjeet told reporters at the Wagah border.
He claimed that all efforts for the release of Sarabjit Singh by India went in vain after it was highlighted in the media as certain groups in Pakistan opposed his release.
"I wish Sarabjit Singh is released at the earliest so that he could meet his family in India."
About the drama after Pakistani TV channels flashed that Sarabjit Singh was being released and later stated that it was not Sarabjit but Surjeet, he claimed, "All this happened due to spelling mistakes as in Urdu language the spelling of Surjeet and Sarabjeet are almost similar."
He said, "Now I will make efforts to get Sarabjeet released from Pakistan...I don't know how I will do it but, certainly, I will meet the authorities concerned in India for Sarabjeet."
When asked why he crossed over to Pakistan, he said, "Yes, I went there for spying."
Dressed in a white kurta-pyjama and black turban and carrying two bags, Surjeet was brought to the Wagah border on the Pakistan side in a prison van.
Though he had been freed, his left hand was in handcuffs. The accompanying policemen got down with him but did not open the handcuffs.
He smiled and hugged his lawyer. Once the formalities were completed, he crossed to the Attari side of the joint border checkpost, about 30 km from Amritsar, where his family and friends waited excitedly to meet him.
His son Kulwinder, holding a box of sweets, couldn't hold back his tears. The family had given up hope of seeing him again, presuming him to be dead after he went missing near the border in Ferozepur sector in 1982.
"I was only two-three years old when he went missing. This is the biggest day of my life," said Kulwinder, with his mother Harbans Kaur next to him.
"We are very happy that he is being finally released. We will have big celebrations," said Kulwinder, who arrived here Thursday morning with family members, relatives and villagers.
Indian border officials took Surjeet, who had spent 30 years in Pakistani jails on charges of spying, into a room for a briefing. Surjeet completed his life term in 2005.
"We are all very eager to receive him. We will make him very comfortable here," Surjeet's daughter-in-law said in his village.
From Attari, his family members took Surjeet to Amritsar to offer prayers at the holiest of Sikh shrines, Harmandar Sahib (popularly known as Golden Temple).
Pakistan authorities are also likely to allow nearly 300 Indian fishermen to walk back to India after their release from Karachi prison Wednesday. Most of the fishermen are from Gujarat.
They were in Pakistani custody for periods ranging from a few months to three years after they were accused of violating Pakistan's territorial water off the coast of Gujarat.
Surjeet's release came in the midst of the controversy and flip-flop over the release of Sarabjit Singh.
The Pakistan side had on Tuesday evening announced that Sarabjit, who is facing death penalty on terrorism charges, would be released after his death sentence was commuted by Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari.
Singh served a life term following his arrest on charges of spying in the 1980s in Pakistan. He 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.
Pakistani security personnel had escorted Singh to the Wagah land border crossing, where he was handed over to Indian authorities.
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