NEW DELHI, Aug 25: Relatives of an Indian sentenced to hang in Pakistan on charges of espionage were on Thursday hoping for clemency as a peace dividend from improving relations between the two neighbours.

Sarabjit Singh’s relatives say he is a simple farmer who was arrested after he strayed across the Pakistani border from his northern frontier hometown of Bhikiwind in Punjab state while drunk in 1990.

Pakistan says he was working for the Indian intelligence agency RAW when he was arrested in Lahore.

Singh’s lawyers are to apply for a judicial review and if that is turned down, their only hope would be a presidential pardon from Pakistani leader Pervez Musharraf.

India’s socialist Janata Dal (United) party, meanwhile, has sent a petition to Musharraf pleading for Singh’s life, media reports said Thursday.

“Mr Sarabjit Singh is a poor young man ... and his execution will destroy the lives of his family members,” the petition reads.

“This situation can easily be avoided by the government of Pakistan adopting a humanitarian approach, especially in view of the prevailing climate of goodwill between the two countries. We appeal to the government of Pakistan to reconsider its decision.”

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured Singh’s relatives that he would himself speak to Musharraf and seek his intervention in the matter.

The matter was officially raised with the Pakistani authorities on Wednesday when India’s high commissioner (ambassador) in Islamabad called on the Pakistani foreign secretary.

MPs on both sides pledged to raise the matter with their respective governments.

While Singh’s family was hoping for clemency, Pakistani Information Minister Sheikh Rashid on Wednesday said Islamic law would not permit Musharraf to use his presidential authority to pardon Singh.

“In Islamic law, only the heirs (of the victims) can give the pardon. Nobody else can,” he told an Indian TV station.

An ongoing peace process between India and Pakistan has however given hope to Singh’s family and their supporters.

Top diplomats from both countries were due to meet in Islamabad towards the end of the month when the issue was likely to be raised, if it was not resolved before then.—AFP

APPEAL: India on Thursday appealed to Pakistan “to spare the life” of Sarabjit Singh, facing execution in Pakistan on charge of spying, saying that public opinion strongly favoured granting clemency to him, Online reported.

External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh took up Sarabjit Singh’s case with Pakistan High Commissioner Aziz Ahmed Khan and urged him to convey Delhi’s hope that Islamabad would treat the matter as a humanitarian issue.

“He reiterated the fact that this is a humanitarian matter and also that there is a strong public sentiment in India for sparing the life of Sarabjit Singh,” an external affairs ministry spokesman, Navtej Sarna, told IANS.

“As far as we are concerned, he has had a fair trial according to due process of law,” Aziz Ahmed Khan said after his meeting with Mr Singh.He hinted at an announcement by the Pakistan foreign office soon on India’s request for consular access to Sarabjit Singh.