CHANDIGARH: Taking cognizance of a petition seeking release of a Prisoner of War (POW) of 1971 India-Pak war belonging to Punjab regiment, allegedly languishing in Oman Jail, Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday asked chief of army staff, ministry of home affairs (MHA) and the ministry of defence (MOD) to respond on the issue. HC has fixed January 7 as the next date of hearing. Sepoy Jaspal was allegedly caught by the Pakistan authorities from Ferozpur border during the war and after keeping him in a Pakistan jail, the POW was transferred to Masira island jail in Oman by Pakistani authorities. Division bench of the HC headed by Chief Justice A K Sikri has issued notice to the authorities after taking up a petition filed on the issue by a local lawyer Hari Singh Nagra. Petitioner has contended that the 1971 war was won by India and according to Shimla agreement, India had returned 92,000 Pakistani soldiers while Pakistan had failed to return all POWs, in violation of the said agreement. He added that act of Pakistan by confining Jaspal in Oman jail is in violation of the universal declaration, 1948, of United Nations of which Pakistan and India are signatories. The petitioner has prayed directions to Indian high commission in Pakistan to consult the issue with authorities in Pakistan and Oman to ensure release of Jaspal Singh. TOI first broke the story on September 18 about Baljit Kaur, 65, who had discovered that her husband Jaspal, now 70, is still alive and lodged in Masira Island jail in Oman along with two more POWs. She came to know about this through Sukhdev Singh of Dubri Boormajra village in Ropar who had met her husband during his stay in Oman. Sukhdev had visited Oman on a visa in May 2010 for two years for job and returned in July this year. According to Sukhdev, during his hunt for a carpenter's job in August 2010, he was sent from Gala city to Masira Island by ship for kitchen services in jail for 10 days. He said that inside the jail, Jaspal approached him secretly, recognizing him as a Punjabi, and disclosed his family details. Jaspal narrated to him the incident of December 4, 1971 war when he, along with four other soldiers of 15-Punjab regiment, were captured by the Pakistani army from the Ferozepur border. All five POWs were kept in Pakistan jails for five-six years and then shifted to Masira jail and elsewhere. Jaspal said he does not know the whereabouts of others, but two (one from Moga district) of them are with him in the same prison. On coming back to India, Sukhdev informed Jaspal's wife Baljit Kaur about her husband. After corroborating all details provided by Sukhdev, Baljit then moved a petition before Chief of Army Staff General Bikram Singh and the commandant of Punjab regiment seeking their help to get her husband back.