The fact that Pakistan did not help matters by clarifying its position on the Sarabjit release mixup is viewed sceptically by the Indian security establishment.
It feels this could be a deliberate ploy by Pakistan’s ISI to un-nerve India a time when the establishment here is elated over its prized Lashkar catch — Abu Jundal — who has spilled the beans on the involvement of Pakistani “state actors” in 26/11.
On Tuesday, hours after reports emerged in the Pakistani media quoting government officials saying Sarabjit Singh’s death sentence had been converted to life imprisonment by President Asif Ali Zardari and that he had completed his sentence, the presidential spokesman in Islamabad clarified late at night that the authorities had actually taken steps for the release of another Indian prisoner Surjeet Singh, not Sarabjit.
Surjeet Singh, who will now walk free, has been in Pakistani captivity for over 30 years after being arrested on charges of spying. The fate of Sarabjit Singh, who is also lodged in the same jail as Surjeet, continues to be uncertain. Sarabjit was convicted for his alleged role in blasts in Lahore and Multan in 1990.