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9,091 Pakistanis in
foreign jails |
About 9,091 Pakistanis
are languishing in foreign jails all over the world, with
maximum number (5,158) in Saudi Arabian prisons alone, on
charges varying from drug-trafficking to travelling and
staying on illegal documents.
The government informed the National Assembly in August
last year that at least 287 Pakistanis were behind bars
in the US, 810 in India and 406 in UK, says the recently-issued
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan report on “State
of Human Rights in 2003”.
Around 2,084 of these prisoners were involved in drug-related
cases and numerous others were believed to be in jails in
Gulf states awaiting deportation after entering the countries
illegally.
According to the figures provided by the government, the
report says, about 500 Pakistanis were languishing in Afghan
jails by the end of 2003 with the government efforts to
get them released.
The Pakistani government complained to the Afghan government
about the harsh treatment meted out to the Pakistani prisoners
on several occasions. At least 800 Pakistanis were released
from Afghan jails during last year.
Shahid Khan, a Pakistani in Kabul prison, in a letter to
journalists written in April claimed a large number of Pakistanis
had died in Afghan jails due to severe torture, ill-health
and malnutrition. Two Pakistanis were reported to have died
in Shebergan prison in January last year and many other
such deaths were not reported at all.
About 22 Pakistanis were released last year from Guantanamo
Bay in Cuba where they were being held by the US forces
on the suspicion of their involvement in militancy and terrorism.
Some of those released stated that they had been subjected
to severe torture and kept blindfolded with their heads
shaved as soon as they reached there. At least 25 other
Pakistanis, according to accounts given by the released
prisoners, were thought to be among those still in X-ray
camp.
A many as 300 fishermen were returned after detention in
India during the said year, the Pakistani government stated
that talks were going on for the release of other prisoners,
including 19 who suffered mental illnesses.
A number of Pakistani boys, all aged under 16, were released
by India after remaining in Indian prisons for periods ranging
from two months to over a year.
Several Pakistani are detained in Turkey, Greece, Iran,
Italy, Spain and other countries on various charges like
drug-pushing, involvement in terrorism and travelling and
staying on illegal documents.
At least 90 Pakistanis were present in Thai jails. Most
of them had complained of maltreatment but as in the case
of Pakistanis in other countries, there were no official
efforts to assist them.
However, Kamil Hussain Bangash from Parachinar, who had
undergone 10 years imprisonment in Uzbekistan on charges
of spying, was able to return home with the assistance of
the Pakistan’s Embassy there. According to his family,
he had gone to Uzbekistan for higher education, but had
been falsely implicated in a spying case.
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