Pakistan's own amity gesture

President Asif Ali Zardari today remitted the jail sentence of Gopal Das, an Indian prisoner who’s been in a jail in Lahore for 27 years.

The president’s spokesperson, Farhatullah Babar, confirmed the remission, on humanitarian grounds, following a recent appeal by the Supreme Court of India. This was considered by Zardari on the advice of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. It is seen as a goodwill gesture against the backdrop of the prime minister’s visit to India and the coming Pak-India talks.

Earlier, the SC bench of judges Markandeya Katju and Gyan Sudha Mishra had said it could only appeal to the Pakistan government for his release. “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,” they’d written in their disposal order, on an appeal from Das’ family. They’d said he was in a Lahore jail even after serving his sentence.