ISLAMABAD, Feb 27: Senators from both sides of the divide in the Senate on Wednesday criticised the government for concealing the list of Pakistanis deported from various countries and not providing the names of such countries.

They also came hard on unchecked human smuggling and the appalling jail conditions with 437 women languishing in prisons mostly without court trials and the poor performance of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

The senators also raised the issue of reported grilling of Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain, younger brother of PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, and other members of the family at a London airport and their consequent deportation.

During the question hour, the interior ministry came under criticism for failing to provide the names of countries which had deported Pakistanis over the past six months and over the issue of human smuggling that was going on without any check or control.

Taking part in discussion on a question raised by MMA’s Dr Kausar Firdaus, PPP Senator Enwar Baig accused the interior ministry of deliberately covering up the scam of illegal human trafficking going on in many cities of Punjab under the patronage of some important people and said it had become a big embarrassment for the country and Pakistanis entering various countries were being deported.

He said the interior minister was not providing the names and number of deportees because it was difficult to understand the FIA which registered all such cases would refuse to provide the list sought by the house.

He asked the chair to direct the minister to present the desired information in the house on Thursday.

Mr Baig said: “We must also be enlightened as to on what grounds Chaudhry Wajahat along with other family members were detained and questioned in Britain.”

Jamal Leghari of the PML-Q said that human smuggling was going on everywhere.

He said that the Commonwealth secretary general had offered regrets over the mistreatment of the League leaders.

He, however, denied that the PML leader had been deported from Britain.

MMA’s Talha Mehmood, chairman of the house interior affairs committee, said that a sub-committee headed by Mr Leghari was working on the issue of human trafficking and would submit its report to the house.

Acting Chairman Jan Mohammad Jamali decided to form a committee headed by Dr Khalid Ranjha to visit various jails in the country and submit its report suggesting changes in jail laws to provide relief to prisoners.

The decision was taken after a discussion on the extremely miserable condition of prisoners, especially of women inmates who were suffering more and languished in jails without having been produced in courts.