A court has asked the ministry of foreign affairs to explain what has been done to repatriate Pakistani fishermen stranded in Yemen.
On Tuesday, the Sindh High Court’s chief justice, Mushir Alam, and Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi ordered the Middle East director-general to appear on April 5.
The bench was hearing a petition filed by an NGO, Human Rights and Civil Liberties Society of Pakistan.
During the proceedings, the NGO’s lawyer, Nisar A Mujahid Advocate, pointed out that even though repeated notices and warnings were issued, the relevant wing at the Foreign Office had not replied.
Out of 110 Pakistanis, 15 have died at different prisons in Yemen. Only 18 have returned to Pakistan and 20 others have been released but cannot come back as they have no money. The Pakistani diplomats in Yemen are not helping them come back, he said.
The bench was not pleased with the Foreign Office as it has failed to respond so far. It, therefore, issued notices to the director-general of the Middle East desk to come to court with the proper documents and instructions.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 30th, 2011.
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