Amar Jawan Jyoti

Written on March 4, 2008 – 1:57 pm | by Amar Jawan Jyoti |

4 Mar 2008, 1321 hrs IST,PTI

WAGAH: After having languished in a Pakistani jail for about 35 years, Kashmir Singh on Tuesday crossed over to India to an emotional reunion with his wife at the border post at Wagah.

The 67-year-old Indian, who had been arrested in 1973 in Pakistan on charges of espionage and was on the death row in a jail in Lahore, crossed over on Tuesday afternoon ( Watch ).

Singh, who was pardoned by President Pervez Musharraf on February 28, was given a lingering farewell on the Pakistani side of the border before he finally made his way into India.

Pakistan Human Rights Minister Ansar Burney, who had traced Singh during a visit to Lahore’s Central Jail as part of his work for prisoners’ rights and jail reforms, was among the Pakistani delegation that accompanied him up to the border.

“I have no wishes left. I have got everything now. I thank President Pervez Musharraf and Human Rights Minister Ansar Burney,” Singh said as he arrived at the Wagah border where his wife Paramjit Kaur was waiting for him.

Singh, who was only 32 years old when he was arrested in Rawalpindi, said, “A new life has begun for me and I am grateful to the people of Pakistan and to the Pakistani government.”

He said the Indian government should consider similar steps for Pakistani prisoners.

Singh said he would want to go back to Pakistan, this time on a valid Indian passport, to lay a `chadar’ at the shrine of Baba Farid.