Pakistani national returns home after nearly 18 years in prison in India

LAHORE:

A Pakistani national has returned home after spending nearly 18 years in an Indian prison, the Pakistan High Commission in India shared on X.

Muhammad Shahid Iqbal Bhatti, a resident of Kasur, arrived at the Wagah-Attari border, where he was received by the authorities after his release in India. Bhatti was arrested in 2008 after entering India via Nepal in 2005 and remained incarcerated until his recent repatriation.

The commission said its sustained efforts helped secure Bhatti’s release and return. Security officials said Bhatti would be subjected to routine checks before being released to his family. The mission reaffirmed that it will continue to work for the release and return of other Pakistani prisoners housed abroad.

Pakistan and India exchange lists of prisoners and fishermen held by each other twice a year, on January 1 and July 1, under the 2008 agreement on consular access.

According to the list exchanged on January 1, 424 Pakistani nationals, including 391 civilians and 33 fishermen, are still detained in Indian prisons. In return, Pakistan’s list submitted to India included 257 Indian prisoners, including 58 civilians and 199 fishermen detained in Pakistani jails.

The exchange of prisoner lists allows the two countries to monitor cases of detention, organize consular access and continue the repatriation of people who have served their sentences. Although the Wagah-Attari border is generally closed due to bilateral tensions, it is occasionally open for humanitarian transfers, such as the repatriation of prisoners.

Bhatti’s return follows this established process and highlights ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve long-standing cases of foreign detainees in both countries.