Plight of Pakistani Nationals: Over 23,000 Incarcerated Abroad

Islamabad [Pakistan]: Over 23,000 Pakistani nationals have been jailed in foreign prisons including 15,587 convicts, Pakistan's Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights was informed on Tuesday, The Express Tribune reported.

According to the report, Pakistan's foreign ministry presented data on Pakistani prisoners abroad during a meeting chaired by Waleel Iqbal.

Scope of Imprisonment
According to the data, 23,456 Pakistani citizens were imprisoned in foreign countries, including 15,587 convicts and 7,869 under-trial prisoners.

Country-wise Breakdown
The highest number of Pakistani prisoners was in Saudi Arabia, where 12,156 were languishing in different jails. This is followed by 5,292 prisoners in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) jails. The data further showed that currently 706 Pakistanis were held in Indian jails.

Discussion on the Prisoner Transfer Agreement
During the committee meeting, discussions centred around the Prisoner Transfer Agreement. According to The Express Tribune, officials from the foreign ministry and the interior ministry disclosed that Pakistan had a prisoner exchange agreement with 11 countries, including Azerbaijan, China, Iran, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Turkey, the UAE, and the United Kingdom.

Consular Protection Policy and Transparency Directive
The committee issued directives to the foreign ministry, instructing them to formulate a uniform consular protection policy within 90 days. Simultaneously, the ministry was also directed to disclose the details of the Prisoner Transfer Agreement with various countries on its official website.

(With ANI inputs)