ISLAMABAD: A chartered flight of Pakistan International Airlines on Wednesday brought back 41 Pakistani prisoners serving jail sentences under various charges in Sri Lanka.

This was the first repatriation of prisoners in seven years under the bilateral Prisoner Transfer Agreement (PTA) signed by Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 2004. Under the agreement, transfers are allowed in cases where sentences exceed a minimum of six months.

The prisoners will now complete their remaining sentences in their home country, close to family and friends. The prisoners on their return to Pakistan were imprisoned in Adiala jail, Rawalpindi.

According to information received here from Colombo, Pakistan High Commissioner in Sri Lanka retired Maj Gen Muhammad Saad Khattak bade farewell to the prisoners at the Bandaranaike Airport.

Talking to the departing prisoners, the high commissioner advised them to refrain from such crimes in future to lead a better life with their loved ones after reaching Pakistan. “The life at the prison is not a very satisfactory way of living, especially when you had to suffer for your crimes away from your motherland and families for such a long time,” he told them.

On arrival at the Islamabad International Airport, medical checkup of the prisoners was conducted.

A chartered flight PK-9872 of Airbus A320 brought back the prisoners, under custody of officials of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Nadra, to Islamabad.

Meanwhile, Justice Project Pakistan (JPP), a civil society organisation which represents the most vulnerable Pakistani prisoners facing tough punishments at home and abroad and provides free legal representation to prisoners, welcomed the repatriation of Pakistani prisoners from Sri Lanka.

In a statement, the organisation said that the repatriation of these prisoners showed the Pakistan government’s renewed commitment to safeguard the rights of overseas Pakistanis.

“Last year, the prime minister had requested Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to release Pakistanis imprisoned in the kingdom, on grounds of compassion, leading to the latter promising the release of 2,107 Pakistanis. The promise of the Saudi Crown Prince is yet to be fulfilled,” the organisation said.

It said that according to official numbers, 87 Pakistanis were imprisoned in Sri Lanka for various crimes and currently there were more than 11,000 Pakistanis imprisoned abroad.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2020