Around 8,715 Pakistanis are languishing in jails in various countries and the ministry concerned is making serious efforts to ensure their early release, official sources said on Tuesday.
They said the government had taken numerous steps for their release, including setting up of a special cell for overseas Pakistanis. “The complaints received through relatives of expatriates are processed in coordination with missions abroad,” they added.
With regards to the release of Pakistani prisoners through payment of fines and legal aid, the sources said the release of 92 Pakistani detainees and prisoners – 90 in the Gulf and two in Malaysia – was secured through payment of fines and legal aid during last year.
During the same period, Pakistani missions in Kuwait, the UAE and Saudi Arabia were authorised to pay fines of 30 prisoners who had completed their sentences and had not committed heinous crimes, but were still in jails for not paying fines.
Moreover, Pakistan also signed bilateral agreements on Transfer of Offenders with four countries, that is, the UAE, the UK, Thailand and Sri Lanka. As many as 75 Pakistani prisoners had so far been transferred to Pakistan from Sri Lanka and Thailand under the agreement.
In addition, six prisoners from Seychelles and China were also transferred to Pakistan as a good will gesture.
The official said about 18,000 Pakistanis residing or working in various parts of Libya during the protests over there, were evacuated and repatriated to Pakistan on government expenses.
He said in coordination with Pakistan’s missions in Australia and Indonesia, assistance was extended to families of victims of boat capsizing incidents and Rs 10.488 million was provided for repatriation of dead bodies to Pakistan. On the requests, the concerned ministry authorises missions to pay one way air tickets for repatriation of destitute Pakistanis as well as transportation of dead bodies from the Pakistan Community Welfare and Education Fund (PCWEF).
The country-wise total number of Pakistanis imprisoned abroad is: Afghanistan 315, Afghanistan (Bagram) 35, Australia 12, Austria 10, Azerbaijan eight, Bahrain 53, Bangladesh 26, Belgium six, Bulgaria one, Cambodia one, Canada 26, China 264, Hong Kong 150, Czech Republic 16, Denmark 24, Egypt one, Ethiopia one, France 75, Germany 38, Greece 319, Hungry 83, India 403, Indonesia five, Iran 79, Ireland two, Italy 134, Japan 19, Jordan two, Kazakhstan two, Kenya two, Uganda one, Korea Republic seven, Kuwait 314, Kyrgyzstan one, Lebanon one, Cyprus three, Libya 26, Malaysia 202, Maldives eight, Nepal 23, Netherland 16, Norway 14, Oman 347, Poland two, Portugal seven, Qatar 25, Romania two, Russia seven, Saudi Arabia 2,373, Serbia four, Singapore two, South Africa 17, Spain 169, Sri Lanka 51, Switzerland four, Tajikistan three, Thailand 90, Turkey 12, the UAE 1,334, the UK 1,416, the US 99, Ukraine two, Vietnam/(Lao PDR) one, Yemen 16, and Zimbabwe houses four Pakistanis in its jails.
