Prisoners abroad: LHC seeks protection policy by April 26

Voices concern over slackness of foreign ministry.

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court expressed displeasure on Tuesday over the government’s failure in devising a consular protection policy for Pakistani citizens jailed abroad.

While hearing of a petition filed by families of citizens imprisoned in Saudi Arabia, LHC Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah questioned the federal law officer on how long the foreign ministry would stay silent on the issue.

The officer said the ministry could issue guidelines for Pakistanis living in Arabian countries and ensure their access to the consulate only.

Expressing his annoyance, CJ Mansoor said: “It appears the government has adopted a policy of ‘no policy’ on overseas Pakistanis in Arab countries especially.”

The government should at least take a position on the matter of protecting Pakistani prisoners abroad, he added.

The chief justice directed the government to come up with a uniform consular protection policy by April 26 and also asked the foreign secretary to look into the cases of Pakistanis mentioned in the petition.

Earlier, amicus curiae Advocate Sameer Khosa also told the court that Pakistan had many steps at its disposal to protect its citizens from violation of their rights, including diplomatic reprisals, recalling ambassadors, providing funding in addition to consular access.

He pointed out the government had successfully intervened in cases of media persons Zaid Hamid and Moeed Pirzada.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 15^th, 2017.