‘Speed up release of foreigner prisoners’

Lahore High Court Chief Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry on Wednesday ordered the foreign ministry to expedite the process of release of foreigners still imprisoned in Punjab’s jails, despite having served their sentences. The CJ observed that the foreign ministry should contact the concerned embassies and solve all issues creating obstacles in their release, so the foreigners could be returned to their countries. The CJ passed the order on a petition filed by the petitioner/counsel Owais Sheikh for the release of two Indian citizens, Karele Bhano Das and Satandar Pal Singh, imprisoned in the Kot Lakhpat Jail.
The Kot Lakhpat Jail superintendent Wednesday submitted in court a report from the Punjab Prisons and Home Department inspector general (IG) regarding foreigners imprisoned in Punjab’s jails. As per the report, 74 foreigners were imprisoned in various jails in Punjab, including 56 in the Kot Lakhpat Jail. Deputy Attorney General Shaista Qaiser in court said except for four prisoners, the foreign ministry had no details of the said persons.
She said if details were provided, then appropriate steps could be taken by the ministry to expedite the process of their release. The court ordered the Kot Lakhpat Jail superintendent to provide details of the prisoners to the ministry of foreign affairs. Sheikh assured the court he would work for the release of Pakistanis imprisoned in Indian jails. The CJ disposed off the matter by ordering the foreign ministry to expedite the process.
LHC reserves judgment on medical entry test case: Completing the proceedings on the petition challenging the logic of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council medical entry test, a division bench of Lahore High Court reserved its judgment on Wednesday.
During proceedings the bench comprising Justice Ch Shahid Saeed and Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan addressing PMDC counsel Ch Muhammad Umair observed that education policy for admission to medical colleges needed amendments to guard the interests of the poor students who could not spend money on separate preparations for the entry tests in costly mushroom institutes made for the purpose.