Pak students protest against Sarabjit

LAHORE: Amidst appeals for clemency for Sarabjit Singh by his family and human rights activists, hundreds of students in Lahore, Pakistan took to the streets demanding that the Indian death row prisoner not be pardoned.
    
The students marched in the city yesterday and sought withdrawal of all official moves to pardon Sarabjit, sentenced to death for alleged involvement in the 1990 blasts in Punjab province. They also said he should not be made a "hero".
    
The demonstrators termed former Pakistani human rights
minister Ansar Burney, who has sent a mercy petition on behalf
of Sarabjit to President Pervez Mushrraf, an "Indian agent",
'The News' daily reported today.
    
The students said if Sarabjit is released, they would
launch a joint movement against the government.
    
The demands were made by student leaders while addressing
a conference outside Lahore Press Club. They also protested
against an anti-Quran movie by a Dutch lawmaker.
   
Tulaba Jamaatud Dawah chief Muzammil Iqbal Hashmi demanded
that Burney should be arrested and tried for treason. He said
the release of Sarabjit would "humiliate" the whole nation.
    
Holding banners and placards, the students shouted
slogans and blocked roads. Their leaders also demanded a
boycott of western products and culture and promotion of
Islamic teachings.
    
Sarabjit's April one hanging was deferred for 30 days by
President Pervez Musharraf. His family, which is here
currently, is seeking clemency for the condemned man.