Jailed abroad: ‘Around 1,800 Pakistanis doing time in Saudi jails’

Most prisoners accused of drug trafficking, forgery and theft.

ISLAMABAD:

There are 1,831 Pakistani prisoners in different jails of Saudi Arabia at present and 40% of them are in for drug trafficking, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said in her written reply submitted before the National Assembly on Wednesday.

Drug trafficking is a serious offence in Saudi Arabia punishable by death penalty, the reply said. All other offences in Saudi Arabia are dealt in accordance with Islamic injunctions and the Sharia law.

The Foreign Office record further reveals that among other Pakistani prisoners, 7% are in for murder and rape, 27% are facing charges of forgery, fraud and theft, while 26% are interned for offences like traffic accident, bribery, brawl, trespass and moral turpitude.

The total number of Pakistani women in Saudi jails stands at 30.

“Our missions have requested the Saudi authorities to provide information about the number of under trial Pakistani prisoners at present, along with their period in custody. Their reply is awaited,” the foreign minister said.

The Foreign Office list also provided the names of jails where the Pakistani prisoners are being kept.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 6^th, 2012.