PTI

Lahore, Mar 4: Indian national Kashmir Singh, held on death row in Pakistani prisons for 35 years after his conviction on espionage charges, was on Monday released from a jail here and will be reunited with his family at the Wagah land border on Tuesday.

Singh, who was arrested in 1973, was freed from Lahore's Central Jail after President Pervez Musharraf pardoned him. Caretaker Human Rights Minister Ansar Burney said he and his wife will accompany Singh to Wagah where he will be reunited with his family at 11 am on Tuesday.

Singh, who is in his sixties, was to be handed over to Syed Fahad Burney, the minister's son and acting chairman of the Ansar Burney Trust.

“Singh will be handed over by the jail authorities to Fahad Burney. As the Indian High Commission has agreed to hand over the travel documents to Singh in Lahore, we will take him directly from there to Wagah,” the minister said.

Following the approval of Singh's mercy petition by Musharraf last week, the order for the prisoner's release was issued by the Interior Ministry on Saturday.

Singh's wife Paramjit Kaur, who has been struggling for his release since his arrest and subsequent conviction on espionage charges, will greet him on the Indian side of the border with family members and friends.

The Ansar Burney Trust, one of Pakistan's most prominent rights organisations, is now working for the release of other Indian nationals in Pakistani prisons, particularly fishermen.

Fahad Burney said the Trust was searching for Indian prisoners of war in Pakistani jails. “We are also working for the release of Pakistani nationals from Indian jails,” he said.

Singh was traced by Ansar Burney during a visit to Lahore's Central Jail as part of his work for prisoners' rights and jail reforms. A mercy petition sent by the minister was accepted by Musharraf, who pardoned Singh and allowed him to return to India.