ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary body on Thursday was informed that two remaining Pakistani prisoners in Guantanamo Bay were expected to be released in January 2023.

The Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights met under the chairmanship of Senator Walid Iqbal at Parliament House to deliberate upon various concerns due to violation of human rights.

However, the committee discussed the matter related to the Pakistani citizens who were currently detained in Guantanamo Bay prison, indicating the nature of cases filed against them and duration of imprisonment with separate details of each Pakistani detainee.

The committee was informed that currently two individuals claiming Pakistani nationality were imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay. They were Mohammad Ahmed Rabbani and Abdul Rahim Ghulam Rabbani. According to the officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the repatriation of the two detainees to Pakistan was expected in January.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry (America division) stated that a complex inter-agency process had been completed to enable their repatriation to Pakistan. Arrangements were being made and the two detainees would be repatriated next month, the ministry informed the committee.

The members observed that the nationality of the prisoners had been in question, which was cleared by the Ministry of Interior with the recommendation that the Foreign Affairs committee should make compensation to individuals in such cases.

The committee also unanimously recommended that the US government should, through proper diplomatic means, probe into such cases.

Senator Mushtaq Hussain recommended that such cases should be taken up in the higher courts for justice.

The committe also considered a point of public importance regarding killing of Nazim Jokhio in Thatta raised by Senator Saifullah Abro in the Senate sitting held on November 10, 2021. The committee observed that the matter had been adequately discussed and resolved. Matters pertaining to point of public importance regarding “Target killing of four young men in North Waziristan and worsening law and order situation in Swat and Malakand Division and the killing of citizens in Swat in fake encounters” raised by Senator Mushtaq Ahmed were deferred.

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2022