ISLAMABAD: The Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights will take up the issue of Pakistanis languishing in jails of foreign countries.

Thousands of such individuals need legal assistance.

Last month, the Senate had a debate on the issue of Pakistani citizens imprisoned in various countries in the Middle East.

The Senate also discussed the case of 594 Pakistanis in Indian jails. Over the last five years, 420 Pakistanis have, however, been released by Indian authorities.

Hundreds of Indians find themselves in a similar situation in Pakistan. There are some 471 Indian nationals in Pakistani jails, but over the past five years the country has released 1,997 prisoners and sent them to India.

The number of Pakistanis incarcerated in Arab states is 6,450. Jails in Saudi Arabia house most of these prisoners (2,970). The United Arab Emirates is next with 2,600 prisoners. There are 657 Pakistani prisoners in Oman, 128 in Bahrain, 54 in Qatar, 38 in Kuwait and three in Yemen.

According to the Foreign Office, officials from missions in these countries regularly visit jails and meet prisoners in order to help them in maintaining contacts with their families in Pakistan. The missions are in contact with jail authorities over problems being faced by Pakistani prisoners.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2018