Indian prisoners are treated well in Pakistani jails and they are provided with all the basic necessities. BBC News reported that in recent years, several Indians returning from Pakistani jails have admitted to spying. Some have criticised India's government for abandoning them. Five hours later the Pakistani government issued a statement denying the reports and holding the media responsible for the confusion. They announced that the release order had been for another prisoner, Surjeet Singh, who was pardoned in 1989. Sarabjit's family condemned the incident as a "cruel joke". Singh filed a new mercy appeal to the President of Pakistan on the 65th independence day of that country. Efforts for release On 23 August 2005, Singh's case was taken up in both houses of the Indian Parliament, where the government was asked to take action for his release. In March 2008, Singh's family went to Pakistan for his scheduled execution. They met several prominent Pakistani politicians, including former Prime minister Nawaz Sharif to appeal for his release. Sharif said, "After seeing the plight of the members of Sarabjit's family who have come to Pakistan, any person can feel the pain they are going through." However, Sharif added that he should be released on the condition that India would send him back to Pakistan if further evidence was found against him. The Indian External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh took up Sarabjit Singh's case with the Pakistan High Commissioner Aziz Ahmed Khan and urged him to convey Delhi's hope that Islamabad would treat the matter as a humanitarian issue. Mercy petitions After his conviction in 1991, several mercy petitions were filed by Singh's lawyers. The fifth petition was filed on 28 May 2012 along with 100,000 signatures collected from India. None of the mercy petitions were granted. Free Sarabjit campaign In 2009 British lawyer Jas Uppal started an online campaign "freesarabjitsingh.com" to highlight the case and request human rights groups to intervene on his behalf. Awais Sheikh, Singh's Pakistani lawyer, supported the campaign and provided his services free of charge. Bollywood actor and activist Raza Murad also campaigned for his release. As of June 2012, he had collected 138,226 signatures in support of Singh's release. After the Pakistani government's reversal regarding his release in June 2012, Murad intensified his 'Free Sarabjit' campaign. In June 2012, Bollywood actor Salman Khan came forward to seek support from people and media for the release