April 19, 2006	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 20, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, April 18: The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the government attorney to provide a category-wise information on foreign prisoners languishing in Pakistani jails.

A three-member bench of the apex court comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar and Justice Saiyed Saeed Ashhad directed the government that the information should contain complete details as to how many foreign prisoners have completed their sentences and how many were still under trial.

The report should also contain information as to how many of them have travelling documents as well as tickets or lacked any of the essential documents.

The court had taken a suo motu notice of an application from the Adiala Jail written by 13 Bangladeshi prisoners seeking attention of the chief justice over their ordeal in the jail despite completing their sentences.

The apex court directed Deputy Attorney General Nasir Saeed Sheikh to seek complete details from the interior ministry about the foreign prisoners and submit a report by April 24.

In a preliminary report, Mr Sheikh told the court that 229 prisoners were languishing in different jails of the Punjab. Of them many were still facing trial while some of them have completed their jail terms. A small number of them have been released.

The government had also contacted the countries concerned and many of them have also identified their nationals and dispatched their travelling documents. However, their deportation is still problematic since expenses to deport them have not been received.

Deportation of some have been slowed down since many countries were not owning the nationality of the prisoners, he said.

APP adds: The court directed the Foreign Ministry for making arrangements to deport all the 229 foreign prisoners except those who are involved in drug trafficking/heinous crimes by seeking cooperation from their respective embassies and NGOs as soon as possible.

Assistant Advocate General Punjab, Ms Afshan Ghazanfar also appeared before the court and presented a report regarding foreign prisoners who are being kept in different jails of Punjab.

Giving warning to the concerned ministries and departments, the bench said, “this issue is very serious. We will never allow to keep them (foreign prisoners) in jails and contact their respective embassies for ensuring speedy deportation. Make all possible arrangements to deport them even with the financial support of Baitul Mal and NGOs.”

Responding to a question regarding nationality of these prisoners, the Deputy Attorney General said, “These prisoners are from Bangladesh and Nigeria besides others countries including Kenya.”