Nearly 8,000 Pakistanis languishing in foreign jails

Published September 13, 2013
Released Pakistani prisoners look out of a bus as they cross over to Pakistan at the India-Pakistan Wagah border post. — Photo by AFP/File
Released Pakistani prisoners look out of a bus as they cross over to Pakistan at the India-Pakistan Wagah border post. — Photo by AFP/File

ISLAMABAD: The foreign ministry of Pakistan Friday informed the Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control that around 7,912 Pakistani nationals are imprisoned in different foreign countries.

The committee directed the ministry to provide legal assistance to the Pakistani prisoners according to the law of land.

Statistics presented by the foreign ministry suggest, 346 Pakistanis are imprisoned in different Afghanistan jails in offence of terrorism activities, Talibanisation, fake currency, murder, theft, fake NIC, drugs, rape and illegal stay.

In Saudia Arabia, 1,920 Pakistani prisoners are in jails in offence of drug trafficking, theft and rape.

Around 274 Pakistani prisoners are detained in different jails of Australia and Austria and information is not provided to the both mission by the host governments due to privacy of laws.

In Azerbaijan and Bahrain 64 Pakistani prisoners are in different jails in offence of drug trafficking, fake currency, fraud and murder.

The committee was informed that Bangladesh and Iran have 252 Pakistani prisoners in jails in offence of violation of immigration laws, overstay, border crossing and miscellaneous cases.

In Belgium eight Pakistani prisoners are in jails in offence of drug trafficking, forgery and miscellaneous cases while in Canada 17 Pakistani prisoners are detained and the exact information about prisoners and charges is not provided by the host government due to privacy of laws.

According to documents, 206 Pakistani prisoners are in China's jails and facing charges of drug smuggling, robbery, murder, fraud and illegal business and in Cambodia one Pakistani is in jail in offence of drug trafficking.

In Denmark and France, 95 Pakistani are in jails and the exact information about prisoners and charges is not provided by the host governments due to privacy laws.

In Germany 16 Pakistani are in jails in offence of forged documents, sexual assault and guardianship and in Greece 70 Pakistani are in jails with offence illegal immigrant.

386 Pakistani are in India jails in offence of violation of immigration of laws, overstay, border crossing and in Indonesia, five Pakistanis are imprisoned in offence of drug trafficking.

In Iraq 87 Pakistani prisoners in jails with offence of forged documents, illegal eatery and drug matter.

In Ireland and Italy, 129 Pakistanis are in jails in offence of murder, rapes, drug smuggling, and violation and immigration laws. In Japan, Kenya, Jordan and South Korea 23 Pakistani prisoners are in jails in offence sexual violence, assault, murder and rape. In Kuwait, 265 Pakistanis are in jails in offence of drug trafficking, adultery, theft, illegal immigration and forgery and in Lebanon four Pakistanis are in jails in offence of murder, forgery and illegal stay.

In Malaysia 225 Pakistanis are in prisons in offence of drug trafficking, theft, murder and forgery.

In Maldives, Morocco and Nepal, 38 Pakistanis are in jails in offence of drug trafficking, theft, forgery and fake currency.

In Oman, 629 Pakistanis are prisoners in offence of murder, drug trafficking, illegal eatery, robbery, forgery, violation of labour and residence laws.

In Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Sweden, Serbia, South Africa and Russia, 68 Pakistani prisoners are in jails in offence of murder, drug trafficking, theft, rape, illegal stay, forgery and others.

In Spain, 146 Pakistani prisoners are in jails in offence of sexual assault, financial fraud, theft violation of foreign citizen law , drug trafficking and murder and in Sri Lanka, 56 Pakistani prisoners are in jails in offence of drug trafficking, fake currency and forgery.

In Switzerland, Singapore, Tajikistan and Thailand, 75 Pakistani prisoners are in jails in offence of murder, fake currency, drug trafficking and forgery.

In Turkey, 60 Pakistani prisoners are in jails in offence of illegal eatery and on the other side 335 Pakistani prisoners are in United Kingdom jails in offence of violence, sexual offence, theft, fraud, rape and murder.

In United States, 102 Pakistani prisoners are in jails in offence of immigration violation, sexual assault, murder, overstay, illegal eatery, fraud, theft and marriage fraud.

In Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Yemen, 19 Pakistani prisoners are in jails in offence of murder, drug trafficking, violation of regulations of trade and illegal stay.

In UAE (Abu Dhabi), 1,800 Pakistani prisoners are in jails in offence of illegal stay, drug trafficking, forgery, fraud, theft and traffic violation.

Opinion

The Dar story continues

The Dar story continues

One wonders what the rationale was for the foreign minister — a highly demanding, full-time job — being assigned various other political responsibilities.

Editorial

Wheat protests
Updated 01 May, 2024

Wheat protests

The government should withdraw from the wheat trade gradually, replacing the existing market support mechanism with an effective new one over the next several years.
Polio drive
01 May, 2024

Polio drive

THE year’s fourth polio drive has kicked off across Pakistan, with the aim to immunise more than 24m children ...
Workers’ struggle
Updated 01 May, 2024

Workers’ struggle

Yet the struggle to secure a living wage — and decent working conditions — for the toiling masses must continue.
All this talk
Updated 30 Apr, 2024

All this talk

The other parties are equally legitimate stakeholders in the country’s political future, and it must give them due consideration.
Monetary policy
30 Apr, 2024

Monetary policy

ALIGNING its decision with the trend in developed economies, the State Bank has acted wisely by holding its key...
Meaningless appointment
30 Apr, 2024

Meaningless appointment

THE PML-N’s policy of ‘family first’ has once again triggered criticism. The party’s latest move in this...