Relief for Pakistanis: FO told to approach Saudi govt on prisoner issue

Senate panel expresses concern over Pakistani prisoners’ treatment.

ISLAMABAD: The Senate standing committee on interior has directed the Foreign Office to take up the issue of Pakistani prisoners with the Saudi government, considering the fact that some are detained on mere suspicion, while others acquitted by the courts, die in prison.

The committee discussed the issue of Pakistanis jailed in Saudi Arabia. Fahd Khan has been in prison for the past two years on suspicion of having links with the Taliban. His wife, Maryam Khan informed the committee that she and their child were sent back to Pakistan two months after his arrest. “There has been no news of him.”

Maryam said that her husband was a student at Madinah University and he had been missing for ten months since he was arrested. Another inmate, Abdul Rehman died in prison. He was jailed despite being acquitted by a Saudi court in 2004.

Rehman had been implicated in a murder case in 1999. His two alleged accomplices have been imprisoned for nearly seven years and are also suffering from health problems. A family member had apprised the committee of their situation some time back.

The committee was informed that approximately 4,000 Pakistani prisoners were freed in Riyadh and 8,836 in Jeddah. Of the 1,600 Pakistani prisoners detained in Saudi Arabia, 400 are charged with drug trafficking and some 350 are being held for other crimes. The committee members expressed concern over the treatment meted out to Pakistani prisoners in Saudi Arabia.

Senator Najma Hameed requested the committee chairman to urge Pakistani missions abroad to assist Pakistani nationals in jail. Absence of interior ministry officials irked the committee like in the past. Awami National Party Senator Haji Adeel said their absence was intentional and suggested that it be taken up by the privilege committee of the House.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 7^th,  2011.