Islamabad:
Friday, the Permanent Senate Committee of Pakistani abroad and the development of human resources deliberated on the growing number of Pakistani prisoners abroad.
Shocking details were revealed at the meeting, chaired by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, concerning Pakistani prisoners abroad. The committee criticized officials to have provided inadequate information concerning individuals.
According to data from the ministry, approximately 417 prisoners are serving sentences in China, 598 in Greece, 463 in Malaysia, 738 in India, 578 in Oman, 422 in Qatar, 10,432 in Saudi Arabia and 5297 in the water, Senator Zeeshan Khanzada stressed.
He pointed out that the data reflects the efforts of the ministry towards the repatriation of the prisoners.
The officials informed the committee that the prisoner repatriation agreements were finalized with 11 countries, while the discussions continue with 15 others.
The committee recommended that the ministry provide detailed prisoners to understand the nature of the crimes they have committed. He also asked the attachés of community well-being (CWAS) on the frequency to which they meet the prisoners.
Senator Kazim Ali Shah stressed that no social protection service was extended to prisoners in the Sindh. The Committee has decided to examine the quarterly performance of community well-being attachés and recommended that they allow them to hire local Diaspora members to more effectively extend social services to Pakistani prisoners abroad.
Discussing the performance of the special courts established to facilitate Pakistanis abroad, the ministry informed the committee that the Punjab had promulgated relevant legislation.
However, Senator Shahadat Awan stressed that although the law was adopted in 2024, no data has yet been provided concerning the number of cases treated in Punjab or in any other province.
