No Pakistanis left in Guantanamo Bay

Three men wrongfully imprisoned have been released after nearly two decades

ISLAMABAD:

Three Pakistani men who had been imprisoned without any charges for decades in the notorious Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp have finally been released, and no Pakistani is currently being held there.

Two of them have returned to Pakistan, while one has chosen not to come back. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the release of the Rabbani brothers, who had been arrested in 2000 and unjustly detained for 21 years. Majid Khan, another Pakistani citizen, was also released after spending 19 years in jail.

During a meeting chaired by Chairman Waleed Iqbal of the Senate Human Rights Committee, officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs briefed the committee on the return of the Rabbani brothers. The committee was informed that the brothers were held in custody for 21 years without any charges and were finally released on February 24.

Throughout their imprisonment, they expressed their experiences through artwork, and currently, they are residing in Karachi with their families, it was told.

Dr Humayun Mohmand raised concerns about the government's responsibility and questioned why the issue was not raised earlier. Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi suggested inviting the Rabbani brothers and their families to share their ordeal with the committee.

The chairman of the committee agreed to arrange a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Interior to address the matter. It was mentioned that no new documents regarding the Rabbani brothers have been produced.

Senator Humayun proposed compensating the Rabbani brothers with four million dollars for the losses they suffered during their wrongful imprisonment.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials informed the committee that Majid Khan was also released in February, but he did not choose to return voluntarily to Pakistan. The committee expressed concern about the lengthy detention of Majid Khan, who had spent 19 years in jail.

The committee was informed by the additional secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that a comprehensive record had been compiled regarding Pakistani prisoners in various countries and plans were in place for their release. The Rabbani brothers had faced difficulties in proving their Pakistani identity, the committee was told.

In response, the committee instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide detailed information about the four Pakistanis who were recently released from American prisons after prolonged detention at the next meeting.

It also emphasised the need to address the issue of wrongful imprisonments and ensure the protection of citizens' rights.