KARACHI – Members of the Pak-India Judicial Committee on Prisoners on Tuesday visited Malir Jail to establish identity of Indian prisoners including fishermen detained for fishing in Pakistani waters The official record confirms presence of 275 Indian prisoners in Pakistani jails and 273 fishing boats are also in the custody of Pakistani authorities. Many of the Indian prisoners have completed their term and are waiting for Indian government to recognise them as Indian citizens.
The four-member Indian delegation included Justice (Retd) Nagendar Roy, Justice (Retd) Amar Jeet Chaudhry, Justice (Retd) A S Gul and Justice (Retd) MA Khan while the committee members from Pakistan were Justice (Retd) Nasir Aslam Zahid, Justice (Retd) Abdul Karim Chaudhri, Justice (Retd) Fazul Karim and Justice (Retd) Ajmal. The delegation met with 37 Indian prisoners in the jail and enquired about proofs of their Indian nationality.
The inmates showed their Indian national identity cards, voters’ lists and those who had no documents gave phone numbers of their families in India. The committee members then talked to the families on phone and verified their addresses. One Indian prisoner, Yousif Samoon told the committee that he was tended cattle when he wandered off into Pakistan while looking for his herd. He lamented that since he had no documents on him at that time, so he could not prove his nationality.
