NEW DELHI: The Rajasthan High Court has ordered the release of a Pakistani journalist held for violating the Official Secrets Act (OSA) in 1991.
The court asked the government to release Sajid Bashir from the Jaipur Central Jail and repatriate him by November 21. Acting on the petition filed by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties, a prominent civil rights group, the division bench of Justices VK Bali and RS Chauhan asked the government to tell it the possible date of Bashir’s repatriation if it got delayed due to the Pakistan government. Bashir was 22 at the time of his arrest, now he is 37.
Sajid Bashir of Bahawalnagar was held for crossing over to the Indian side at the Nachna border in Jaisalmer district in 1991. He was later sentenced, which he completed in 2003. He has already completed 15 years in jail. There are 12 more Pakistanis in Rajasthani jails. The court held "bureaucratic negligence" responsible for the "serious violation" of individual freedom of these people.
