'No swap of prisoners'

India today said there was no proposal for exchange of prisoners with Pakistan to secure the release of Sarabjit, sentenced to death in that country for alleged involvement in bomb blasts in 1990.

Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran, however, confirmed that Pakistan has agreed to provide consular access to Sarabjit.

During a meeting with Pakistan High Commissioner Aziz Ahmed Khan and his deputy Munawar Saeed Bhatti at the foreign office here yesterday, External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh had taken up Sarabjit's case saying it was a "humanitarian" issue and the people was strongly pitching for the convict.

India's High Commissioner in Islamabad Shiv Shanker Menon had also taken up the matter with Pakistan Foreign Secretary Riaz Muhammad Khan on Wednesday.