CHANDIGARH:

Punjab government

on Thursday provided financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to

Surjeet Singh

, who was recently released from Pakistan's Kot Lahpat jail after spending over three decades there.

Punjab chief minister

Parkash Singh Badal

handed over a cheque of Rs 5 lakh to him as financial assistance from the state government apart from giving a regular government job to his son.

Surjeet Singh, who along with his son Kulwinder Singh, had called on the CM at his official residence in Chandigarh on Thursday morning.

Badal also felicitated Surjeet Singh for rendering great service to the nation and assured him that the state government was committed for extending all possible help for the rehabilitation of his family within the legal frame work.

He also apprised Surjeet Singh that as desired by his family the state government has decided to give regular job to his son Kulwinder Singh.

Later, Surjeet Singh said that despite the fact that he had spent youthful days of his life in the jail the Union government did not bother to help his family residing in the state, which was a complete injustice with them.

Surjeet was arrested in 1982 on the charges of spying and was sentenced to death by the commanding officer of the 106 Brigade Headquarter, Lahore, Cantt.

Later, the then president of Pakistan,

Ghulam Ishaque Khan

on December 8, 1988 had converted the death sentence of Surjeet Singh into life imprisonment.

Surjeet was released on June 28.