India on Tuesday appealed to Pakistan to grant Sarabjit Singh, an Indian national in Pakistani custody facing the death sentence, 'clemency on humanitarian grounds'.

Making a suo motu statement in the Lok Sabha during Zero Hour, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said Indian and Pakistani governments have put in place certain institutional arrangements since his visit to Pakistan in January 2007.

These included a new agreement on consular access and a joint judicial committee to facilitate the resolution of consular issues.

A delegation of family members of missing Indian defence personnel was also able to visit Pakistan last year.

Pointing out that these initiatives might lead to an improvement of the 'situation for our prisoners', Mukherjee said: "It is in this context and in the same spirit, that we appeal to the Government of Pakistan to treat Sarabjit Singh's case with clemency on humanitarian grounds."