Happy Surjeet Singh released: Krishna

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister SM Krishna on Thursday welcomed the release of prisoner Surjeet Singh, who was united with his family after 30 years.

At the Wagah border in Punjab, 69-year-old Surjeet Singh released from the Pakistan prison in Karachi was reunited with his family in an emotional homecoming.

Krishna said he hopes that Pakistan will seriously 'ponder and consider' and release death row convict Sarabjit Singh.

"I am happy that Surjeet Singh is being released and I hope that Pakistan will also seriously ponder and consider and release Sarabjit Singh also," Krishna told reporters on Thursday.

Singh was handed over to Indian authorities at Wagah by Pakistan and as he got united with family hordes of aggressive mediapersons captured the moments and jostled for his bytes.

Singh is finally a free man after 30 years as his children, grandchildren hug him.

"I want to hug my children and visit the Golden Temple. I am very happy," he was quoted saying to media in Karachi outside the jail after his release.

He said at Wagah he never had any problem in Pakistan jail otherwise and was treated well by the jail authorities.

One of Surjeet Singh's sons died earlier but other children received him.

In New Delhi, meanwhile, Dalbir Kaur, the sister of Sarabjit Singh, the death row convict languishing in Pakistan jail, took to protest at Jantar Mantar and said Pakistan should release her brother.

Dalbir also met SM Krishna over the issue of his brothers' release from a Pakistan prison.

Initial reports of Sarabjit's release had triggered celebrations in his family in India but later the Pakistan authorities said it was Surjeet Singh and not Sarabjit Singh who would be released.