Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari today remitted the remaining jail term of Indian convict Gopal Das who has been imprisoned for the past 27 years.
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?716579
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?716579
Zardari Pardons Indian Convict Gopal Das
Muhammad Tauseef A. Bajwa
Senator (1k+ posts)
Presidential pardon: Indian prisoner freed after 27 years
Presidential pardon: Indian prisoner freed after 27 years
Published: March 27, 2011
WikiLeaks reveals that Pakistan scrambled jets, put air force on alert after the call.
President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday pardoned Gopal Das, an Indian prisoner who had been languishing in a jail in Lahore for the past 27 years.
According to Express 24/7 correspondent Sohail Chaudhry, Das was pardoned on humanitarian grounds.
The presidents spokesperson Farhatullah Babar also confirmed the presidential pardon to the media.
It is the first such appeal considered by President Zardari on the behest of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, reported Chaudhry.
It is seen as a goodwill gesture against the backdrop of the prime ministers visit to India and the upcoming Pak-India talks.
Earlier, the Indian Supreme Court had appealed to Pakistan to release Das to foster friendship between two countries.
A bench comprising Justices Markandeya Katju and Gyan Sudha Mishra had said it can only appeal to the Pakistan government for his release as Indian courts do not have any powers to give directions to other countries.
We cannot give any directions to Pakistan authorities because we have no jurisdiction over them. Indian authorities have done all that they could in the matter. However, that does not prevent us from making a request to Pakistani authorities to consider appeal of the petitioner for releasing him on humanitarian grounds by remitting remaining part of his sentence. At any event, we think it appropriate to make an appeal on humanitarian grounds to Pakistan authorities to release the petitioner as he has served almost 27 years in jail, the apex court of India had said in an order.
The order had been passed while disposing off a petition filed by family members of Das, who had complained about his incarceration in a Lahore jail even after serving his sentence.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/138418/presidential-pardon-indian-prisoner-freed-after-27-years/
Presidential pardon: Indian prisoner freed after 27 years
Published: March 27, 2011
WikiLeaks reveals that Pakistan scrambled jets, put air force on alert after the call.
President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday pardoned Gopal Das, an Indian prisoner who had been languishing in a jail in Lahore for the past 27 years.
According to Express 24/7 correspondent Sohail Chaudhry, Das was pardoned on humanitarian grounds.
The presidents spokesperson Farhatullah Babar also confirmed the presidential pardon to the media.
It is the first such appeal considered by President Zardari on the behest of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, reported Chaudhry.
It is seen as a goodwill gesture against the backdrop of the prime ministers visit to India and the upcoming Pak-India talks.
Earlier, the Indian Supreme Court had appealed to Pakistan to release Das to foster friendship between two countries.
A bench comprising Justices Markandeya Katju and Gyan Sudha Mishra had said it can only appeal to the Pakistan government for his release as Indian courts do not have any powers to give directions to other countries.
We cannot give any directions to Pakistan authorities because we have no jurisdiction over them. Indian authorities have done all that they could in the matter. However, that does not prevent us from making a request to Pakistani authorities to consider appeal of the petitioner for releasing him on humanitarian grounds by remitting remaining part of his sentence. At any event, we think it appropriate to make an appeal on humanitarian grounds to Pakistan authorities to release the petitioner as he has served almost 27 years in jail, the apex court of India had said in an order.
The order had been passed while disposing off a petition filed by family members of Das, who had complained about his incarceration in a Lahore jail even after serving his sentence.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/138418/presidential-pardon-indian-prisoner-freed-after-27-years/
no-violence
Politcal Worker (100+ posts)
27 years in prison, what did he do?
Muhammad Tauseef A. Bajwa
Senator (1k+ posts)
Gopal Das returns to India
Gopal Das returns to India
Published: April 7, 2011
Indian spy Gopal Das, held in Pakistan for 27 years was handed over to Indian officials at Wagah border.
LAHORE:
Indian spy Gopal Das, held in Pakistan for 27 years was handed over to Indian officials at Wagah border on Thursday. Das was released on presidential orders. The spy was transferred from the Kot Lakhpat jail to Wagah Border in a special vehicle. The notification by President Asif Ali Zardari to remit the remainder of the spys prison sentence was issued on March 27.
President Zardari issued the notice on humanitarian grounds following an appeal from Indias Supreme Court.
Das had entered a plea to the Indian apex court through his brother, which ruled that while it had no jurisdiction in Pakistan, it could make an appeal for his release to the Pakistan government.
Justice Markandey Katju of the Indian Supreme Court reportedly also quoted Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz in his ruling: Qafas uddas hai yaaro sabaa se kuch to kaho, Kaheen to beher-e-khuda aaj zikr-e-yaar chale. (The prison is gloomy; O Friends! Tell the eastern wind, To at least allow some talk of my beloved for divinitys sake)
The remission is mostly symbolic since it comes only a few months before he was scheduled to be released. However, it is being viewed as another gesture on the part of Pakistan towards improving relations between the two South Asian rivals.
Gopal Das returns to India
Published: April 7, 2011
Indian spy Gopal Das, held in Pakistan for 27 years was handed over to Indian officials at Wagah border.
LAHORE:
Indian spy Gopal Das, held in Pakistan for 27 years was handed over to Indian officials at Wagah border on Thursday. Das was released on presidential orders. The spy was transferred from the Kot Lakhpat jail to Wagah Border in a special vehicle. The notification by President Asif Ali Zardari to remit the remainder of the spys prison sentence was issued on March 27.
President Zardari issued the notice on humanitarian grounds following an appeal from Indias Supreme Court.
Das had entered a plea to the Indian apex court through his brother, which ruled that while it had no jurisdiction in Pakistan, it could make an appeal for his release to the Pakistan government.
Justice Markandey Katju of the Indian Supreme Court reportedly also quoted Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz in his ruling: Qafas uddas hai yaaro sabaa se kuch to kaho, Kaheen to beher-e-khuda aaj zikr-e-yaar chale. (The prison is gloomy; O Friends! Tell the eastern wind, To at least allow some talk of my beloved for divinitys sake)
The remission is mostly symbolic since it comes only a few months before he was scheduled to be released. However, it is being viewed as another gesture on the part of Pakistan towards improving relations between the two South Asian rivals.
Night_Hawk
Siasat.pk - Blogger
Pakistan1992
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Re: Gopal Das returns to India
fuk
this is too much
they never send our prisoners back and if they even come back they are mentally disabled
fuk
this is too much
they never send our prisoners back and if they even come back they are mentally disabled
rising.pak
MPA (400+ posts)
yeh saara JAZBA E KHAIR SAGALI pakistaniooo main hi kio hai :(( they dont allow us to participate in IPL they were the ones who banned intl cricket in pakistan...their agent mazhar majeed was involved in ammir,asif case they go to extreme and yet we free kashmir singh gopal das etc etc shame on pakistani president.
