Senate panel seeks details of expats languishing in jails

11k Overseas Pakistanis are in foreign jails, as per an Interior Ministry report

islamabad — The Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development on Friday directed the Overseas Pakistanis Ministry to provide details of Pakistanis detained in different countries in various cases.

The Senate panel, chaired by Senator Hilal-ur-Rehman, passed the direction while discussing plight of a Pakistani Zahir Husssain who was detained after being convicted in a road accident case in 2012 in a foreign country.

The committee also suggested summoning representatives of other departments to deliberate on the matter and evolve a comprehensive strategy especially repatriation of those involved in petty crimes.

Apprising the meeting about the current status of the Zahir Hussain case, a representative of the ministry said the matter had already been taken up with the Pakistan Mission in Saudi Arabia by the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) which has also filed a mercy appeal with the Royal Court through the Embassy of Pakistan in Riyadh. The case is being persuaded by the Pakistan Mission and a response is still awaited, he added.

Senator Sassui Palijo took exception to the ministry for not bringing the complete record regarding the case and said there would be a way out for which coordinated efforts were required. —