LAHORE, May 28: The Lahore High Court on Monday directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to confirm nationality of Pakistani citizens, detained at the Bagram airbase prison, to US authorities.

The court issued this direction on a petition filed by a non-profit law firm seeking directions for the Pakistan government to take action for the release and repatriation of its citizens detained at the Bagram prison.

Representing the petitioner-firm, Barrister Sara Belal argued there could be no actual progress in the repatriation of 32 Pakistani detainees without owning them as Pakistani citizens.

On behalf of the ministry, a standing council opposed the argument, however, Justice Muhammad Khalid Mahmood Khan remarked it was a simple request and it should not be problematic to confirm the nationality of the detainees.

The judge adjourned further hearing till May 30, and directed the ministry to come up with a compliance report.

Sultana Noon, representative of non-profit law firm Justice Project Pakistan, a fellow of Reprieve (a UK-based organisation) in Pakistan, filed this petition. Initially the petition was filed for seven Pakistani prisoners. Later it was revealed that more Pakistanis were also detained at the jail.

The petitioner submitted the citizens had been detained at Bagram jail without any charge or trial since 2003. She alleged they were abducted from Pakistan and shifted to the notorious US prison in Afghanistan.