LAHORE: A division bench of the Lahore high court has sentenced Ravinder Singh to death and Harminder Singh to a life sentence in the 1984 hijacking case. The sentence was announced by Mr. Justice Mansoor Hussain Sayal and Mr. Justice Munir A Shaikh.
There was widespread dismay among Sikhs in America over news of the sentence and have urged the Pakistan Govt to review the case.
Meanwhile, Dr. Bast counsel of the two Sikh youth has decided to go in for an appeal. He is also pleading that since the two are Kashmiri nationals, they be treated a citizens Pakistan constitution guarantees citizenship to Kashmiris under section 257.
Dr. Bast speaking on behalf of the two Court Lakhpat jail detainees said they were not common criminals but political activists who had hijacked an Indian Airlines plane following Operation Bluestar and also to bring to world attention the plight of Kashmir.
The next hearing in the case is on March 13. The Central Interior Secretary of Pakistan has been served notice to be present.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 9, 1990
