- SHC seeks reply from home, interior, foreign ministries over repatriation of female prisoners in UAE’s jails
KARACHI
PPI
Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday issued notice to Interior Ministry secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs deputy director and home secretary, asking them to submit their respective replies on a petition of a non-profit organization calling for repatriation of Pakistani female prisoners languishing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) penitentiaries.
A division bench headed by Justice Munib Akhtar also put federal law officer on notice on a petition filed Sarim Burney Trust International through its administrator Rashida Shakir, who cited the aforementioned parties and government of UAE through counsel general as respondents.
The petitioners counsel submitted that former interior minister Rehman Malik had struck an agreement with UAE counterpart in February 2012 for the repatriation of Pakistani prisoners languishing in the UAE jails for different crimes. However, since the inking of agreement no practical steps were taken by government for the transfer of prisoners particularly female prisoners to the country.
The counsel said that their trust had received emails from nine Pakistani female prisoners asking it to pursue their cases of repatriation. Those who mailed included Shamim Akhtar, Fashola Rohi, Sehrish Kazmi, Nazia Jahangir, Taiba Rani, Asma Ghulam, Sajida Farzand, Barkat Bibi and Salma.
The petitioner requested the court to direct official respondents to take steps for transfer of Pakistani inmates to Pakistan.
After initial hearing, the bench issued notices and adjourned the hearing of case till August 31.
