ISLAMABAD, May 18: The government has vowed to take back the 15 Pakistanis detained by the Italian government for their alleged links with Al Qaeda.

“The government has started negotiation with the Italian government for immediate repatriation of the innocent Pakistanis,” PML-Q President and its parliamentary leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said here on Sunday.

The PML-Q leader met the family members of the detained persons and assured them that their near and dear ones will be brought back.

“It is the foremost duty of the government to bring them back home,” he said.

The PML-Q leader said Pakistan’s ambassador to Italy would be contacted for the release of 15 Pakistani nationals, and if need arose, he himself would visit Italy for their repatriation.

The 15 persons were booked by the Italian police at Gela (Secilli) in August 2002 on charges of having some links with Al Qaeda.

They were taken into custody from a cargo ship of Nova Spirit Shipping Co., and declared terrorists.