The India-Pakistan Judicial Committee on prisoners has recommended that all detainees, who have completed their sentences, should be repatriated at the earliest.
The recommendation was part of several measures proposed by members of the committee, who visited jails in Karachi, Rawalpindi and Lahore between April 18 and April 22, said a statement issued by the Foreign Office on Friday.
The move will allow hundreds of prisoners, who are languishing in jails in both India and Pakistan despite completing their sentences, to return to their countries.
Members of the committee include Justice (retd) Nagendra Rai, Justice (retd) Amarjeet Chaudhary, Justice (retd) AS Gill and Justice (retd) MA Khan from the Indian side and Justice (retd) Abdul Qadeer Chaudhary, Justice (retd) Fazal Karim, Justice (retd) Nasir Aslam Zahid and Justice (retd) Mian Muhammad Ajmal from Pakistan.
“Consular access was conducted in respect of some of the fishermen and prisoners on the spot,” the statement added.
It said the committee called for quickly reconciling figures of prisoners and fishermen, besides allowing consular access.
The Committee suggested that the Nationality verification process should be made faster and all prisoners who have completed their sentences and whose travel documents are available should be repatriated to their countries at the earliest.
The members of the Committee will visit Indian jails during the second half of June, subject to the confirmation of dates by both
the sides.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 23rd, 2011.
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