ISLAMABAD
The government has paid over Rs 15,962,163 in the last few years for the release of 251 Pakistani prisoners imprisoned in various countries due to non-payments.
According to an official of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the prisoners have already completed their sentences for begging, illegal stay, working on visit visa, driving under the influence of alcohol and non-payment of loans.
He said that as many as 92 Pakistani prisoners were got released from gulf countries and Malaysia in 2010-11 by paying fines and providing them legal aid. In 2011-12, Pakistani Missions in Kuwait, UAE and Saudi Arabia secured the release of 30 prisoners after paying fines, who were still incarcerated despite completion of sentence due to non-payment of fine.
In 2013, 14 Pakistan fishermen were got released from India after providing them legal aid. The government also paid Rs 1.4 million for one-way ticket for repatriating 32 Pakistanis detained in Malaysia.
The government paid Rs 1.6 million for securing the release of a prisoner, who was unable to pay fine. Rs 461,386 had been paid to Nepal for securing the release of a prisoner.
The government paid Rs 3,777,488 in 2013 for securing the release of four Pakistanis from Saudi Arabia.
Under various agreements, 72 Pakistani prisoners (42 from Sri Lanka and 32 from Thailand) have been transferred back to Pakistan. Moreover, six prisoners, five from Seychelles and one from China, have been repatriated to Pakistan as a goodwill gesture by respective governments.
Meanwhile, 5,650 prisoners sentenced on different charges have been repatriated to Pakistan from March 2008 to date. Most of the Pakistanis have been sentenced in drug trafficking, murder, rape, theft, offenses of moral turpitude forgery and fraud.
He said India has released 725 Pakistani prisoners; 4 in 2009, 293 in 2010, 231 in 2011, 131 in 2012 and 66 in 2013.
In last five years, Pakistan has also released 1,801 Indian prisoners, including 74 civil and 1727 fishermen. In 2009, 100 Indian prisoners were released, 474 in 2010, 118 in 2011, 706 in 2012 and 403 in 2013.