Indian Prisoners: Federal govt to reply by August 12

the women were arrested for trafficking one kg of heroin and a trial court had sentenced them to 18 months in jail

LAHORE: Chief Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry on Monday sought a reply from the federal government by August 12 on a suo motu notice regarding the imprisonment of two Indian women in Kot Lakhpat jail. A law officer of the Punjab government told the court that the women were arrested for trafficking one kilogramme of heroin and a trial court had sentenced them to 18 months in jail each. He said their jail terms had expired and their case had been sent to the review board of the federal government. The CJ sought a reply from federal government and adjourned hearing till August 12. The CJ had taken suo motu notice on a letter written by Parveen Jahan and Gul Afroz. They stated that they were confined in Kot Lakhpat jail and were not being released from jail as their passports and other travel documents were lying with the government for clearance.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 12^th, 2011.