Govt paid over Re 10m to release 251 Pakistani prisoners from various countries

The Government has paid over Rs 15,962,163 in last few years for the release of 251 Pakistani prisoners locked up in the prisons of various countries due to non-payments. According to an official of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the prisoners have already completed their sentences on begging, illegal stay, working on visit visa, driving under the influence of alcohol, non-payment of loans, etc. Giving details he said 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 on govt expense. The govt also paid Rs 1.4 million for one way ticket for repatriating 32 Pakistanis detained in Malaysia.

The govt paid Rs 1.6 million for securing the release of one Pakistani prisoner, who was unable to pay fine. Rs 461,386 had been paid to Nepal for securing the release of one Pakistani prisoner.

Govt paid yet other Rs 3,777,488 in 2013 for securing the release of four Pakistanis incarcerated in Saudi Arabia.

Under various agreements inked 72 Pakistani prisoners (42 from Sri Lanka and 32 from Thailand) have been transferred back to Pakistan. Moreover 6 prisoners including five from Seychelles and one from China have been repatriated to Pakistan as a goodwill gesture by respective governments.

Meanwhile, 5,650 Pakistani 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, fraud,etc.

He said India has released of 725 Pakistani prisoners from 2009 to 2013 including 4 in 2009, 293 in 2010, 231 in 2011, 131 in 2012 and 66 in 2013.

In last five years the country has released 1,801 Indian prisoners included 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.