Jolted into action by Pakistan’s dramatic U-turn on Indian death row prisoner Sarabjit Singh, top home ministry officials said Wednesday India had indeed sought the release of another Indian prisoner, Surjeet Singh, from Pakistan as early as last month.

The officials admitted it was Surjeet, not Sarabjit, over whom Pakistani authorities had given an assurance of an early release. This had been conveyed to the Indian delegation led by home secretary R.K. Singh which visited Islamabad last month.

Top officials said both Surjeet’s and Sarabjit’s case figured at the talks. Pakistan’s interior ministry had assured the Indian side Surjeet would be freed soon, and Sarabjit’s case would be “considered” positively, but no timeframe was given.

A senior official said: “They (Pakistan) assured us Surjeet will be released within a week. No promise was given as far on Sarabjit’s case. So Surjeet’s release does not come as a surprise to us, we were expecting it.”

But the confusion on the Indian side after Surjeet’s release was announced has caused considerable embarrassment for the government, with fingers pointing at Pakistan for the “goofup”.

On Wednesday, external affairs minister S.M. Krishna even publicly thanked Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on the move to release Sarabjit.

Patience must in Pak dealing: SMK

Ahead of the foreign secretary-level talks scheduled for July 4 and 5 where terrorism would be the main focus of discussion, India on Wednesday cautioned that abundant patience and perseverance were required to deal with Pakistan where many elements are using terror as an instrument to achieve foreign policy objectives.

India also renewed its appeal to Pakistan to release death row convict Sarabjit Singh. Expressing India’s eagerness to normalise relations with its neighbour, external affairs minister S.M. Krishna on Wednesday lamented that Pakistan continues to have a selective approach in tackling terrorism.

He said, “While dealing with Pakistan, we need to be cautious. We need to have abundance of patience and perseverance.”

Answering another question, the foreign minister said that it was too early to judge if the trust deficit between the two countries has been reduced, as there were many forces that are using terrorism as a tool “to achieve short-term and long-term objectives”.

On the foreign-secretary level talks, he said, “Whenever there is a bilateral meeting, we have always focused on terrorism and terror-related issues. We have been impressing upon Pakistan to come out openly to declare war on terrorism which should be across the board and not selective.”

On the issue of PM Dr Manmohan Singh visiting Pakistan, Mr Krishna said that even though the invitation has been accepted in principle, the availability of time would be taken into account before finalising the visit. He said, “In principle, the invitation has been accepted. When the visit will take place, it will depend.”

The foreign minister added that highest priority would be given to his own visit, which has been put off owing to the impending presidential poll. Mr Krishna also said that the text of a revised visa agreement has been finalised and expressed confidence that it would be signed by the two countries soon.

On Sarabjit Singh, the external affairs minister said that India was awaiting an official communication on who was being released — Surjeet Singh or Sarabjit Singh. He said, “I have seen media reports about the impending release from imprisonment in Pakistan of Surjeet Singh. I welcome this decision and further renew our request to the President of Pakistan to release Sarabjit Singh who has been in custody for over two decades. He is serving a death sentence.