RAWALPINDI, Dec 23: About 180 Pakistanis arrested for crossing into Greece illegally are languishing in a Turkish detaining facility for the last three months. Relatives of the arrested people told Dawn on Friday that the illegal immigrants were facing problems in returning home as they did not have money to arrange the fare.

They said they had contacted the Pakistani embassy in Turkey asking it to facilitate the detainees’ return, however, a reply was still awaited.

The illegal immigrants were detained by the Greek border police and were handed over to Turkish authorities who kept them at Dharna Deport Centre.

The relatives said 35 of the detainees were facing serious health problems and their health condition was deteriorating. Similarly, the remaining illegal immigrants were also facing shortage of food and warm clothing, they added.

They urged President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to intervene into the matter and direct the Pakistani embassy in Turkey to facilitate the return of these stranded people.