LAHORE: Indian authorities on Tuesday repatriated six Pakistani nationals who had been languishing in prisons across the border after completing their jail terms.

The Pakistani nationals arrived in the country through the Wagah border, where a senior official of the Pakistan High Commission and Punjab Rangers personnel received them.

An official told Dawn that the released prisoners had been kept in Indian jails, transit camps and juvenile homes waiting to complete their prison sentences. The Pakistan High Commission had managed their release.

Among them are a woman Nasreen Akhtar and a teenager Haroon Ali, who were in poor health. Nasreen had served a prison sentence lasting a decade and six months, along with a heavy fine. Although she had completed her sentence, she had not been released because she had been unable to pay the fine, said the official.

Her family then took up the matter with the Pakistani authorities after learning about her falling health. The Pakistan High Commission paid the fine six months ago to secure her release, he said.

Haroon Ali had been kept in a juvenile home after he crossed the border mistakenly while chasing his mentally-ill brother. His elder brother arrived in Pakistan last year.

The official said Pakistani High Commission had worked closely with the Indian authorities to ensure the release and successful repatriation of all the six prisoners. He added that as many as 52 other Pakistanis had completed their prison sentences in India and were awaiting repatriation. Among them were 37 fishermen and four children, he said, adding that the Pakistan High Commission was in contact with the Indian authorities to secure their release too.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2018