LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to submit information of 2,107 Pakistani prisoners to be released from Saudi Arab’s jails under the special orders of the Saudi Crown Prince.

Justice Ayesha A. Malik also directed the ministry to file a report on the status of negotiations on prisoner transfer agreement with the Saudi government and facilities provided to Pakistanis facing criminal cases in Saudi courts.

The judge was hearing a petition filed by Justice Project Pakistan (JPP) on behalf of 10 Pakistanis imprisoned in Gulf countries.

Barrister Sarah Belal represented the petitioners and apprised the court about violation of due process faced by Pakistanis under Saudi justice system. She commended the government for its recent efforts to raise the issue of Pakistanis imprisoned in Saudi Arabia.

She said there were more than 3000 Pakistani prisoners in Saudi Arabia while last month Saudi authorities announced immediate release of 2,107 Pakistanis imprisoned in the Kingdom after Prime Minister Imran Khan raised the issue before Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman. The judge adjourned hearing for two weeks.

According to a JPP report “Caught in a Web”, the Pakistanis suffer rampant due process violations, such as long periods of detention without charge or trial, no access to legal assistance, pressure from the authorities to sign confessions and accept predetermined prison sentences, and ineffective translation services for defendants in the Saudi criminal justice system.

CJP: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa on Friday said the policy on conclusion of murder trial in four days would be enforced from April 1 throughout the country.

The chief justice was heading a two-judge bench at the Lahore registry of the Supreme Court seized with petition seeking cancellation of bail granted to a suspect in a fraud case.

Chief Justice Khosa observed that it happened in Pakistan only where suspects had to approach the top court for bail. He pointed out that in some countries the court even does not issue written orders on bail petitions.

Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2019