Council of Europe Convention: Pakistan to sign treaty on prisoner transfers with US
PM endorses move to sign convention to take up cases of prisoners, such as Dr Aafia Siddiqui.
Dr Aafia Siddiqui. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The United States has called on Pakistan to sign a Council of Europe convention on the transfer of prisoners or convicts, Pakistani officials said on Tuesday. The recommendation came in response to a request for the repatriation of Pakistani prisoners languishing in US jails.
The Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, 1985, signed and ratified by 64 countries, allows foreigners convicted of a criminal offence to serve out their sentences in their home countries.
“We sought a No objection Certificate (NoC) from the Foreign Office for an agreement with the US on the transfer of prisoners,” said Additional Interior Secretary Saud Mirza.
The ministry wrote to the Foreign Office after the US showed its willingness to cooperate with Pakistan over the exchange of prisoners, he added.
Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf also endorsed the foreign ministry’s suggestion for Pakistan to sign the Council of Europe Convention to take up the case of Dr Aafia Siddiqi, as well as other prisoners.
After seeking the interior ministry’s consent, the foreign office moved a summary to the prime minister earlier this year.
The issue of an agreement was formally taken up with Washington some four years back when the then interior minister Rehman Malik and US Attorney General Eric Holder met to discuss matters related to prisoners, including Dr Aafia, Mirza had informed a Senate panel while explaining the matter.
Pakistan is also considering signing the Inter-American Convention on Serving Criminal Sentences Abroad (2001) if legal hurdles do not come in the way, he added.
But some officials in the interior ministry think otherwise. “Even if Pakistan signs these conventions, it is not certain whether the transfer of prisoners between US and Pakistan will take place or not,” observed Section Officer Usman Ghani Khattak in his official letter dispatched to the director general (US) ministry of foreign affairs, Islamabad on January 3, 2013.
“We will gather information concerning the development on the proposed treaty on transfer of offenders or convicts between Washington and Islamabad,” said Foreign Office spokesperson Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry.
Matt Boland, acting spokesperson of the US Embassy in Islamabad, claimed to be unaware of the development and hence did not comment.
Pakistan is currently in negotiations over signing the transfer of offenders’ agreement with 22 countries. These are Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, China, the Philippines, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, USA, Yemen, Lebanon, Kuwait, Russian Federation, Ukraine, Indonesia and Ireland.
Islamabad is also trying to sign extradition agreements with 18 countries.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 20th, 2013.
The United States has called on Pakistan to sign a Council of Europe convention on the transfer of prisoners or convicts, Pakistani officials said on Tuesday. The recommendation came in response to a request for the repatriation of Pakistani prisoners languishing in US jails.
The Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, 1985, signed and ratified by 64 countries, allows foreigners convicted of a criminal offence to serve out their sentences in their home countries.
“We sought a No objection Certificate (NoC) from the Foreign Office for an agreement with the US on the transfer of prisoners,” said Additional Interior Secretary Saud Mirza.
The ministry wrote to the Foreign Office after the US showed its willingness to cooperate with Pakistan over the exchange of prisoners, he added.
Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf also endorsed the foreign ministry’s suggestion for Pakistan to sign the Council of Europe Convention to take up the case of Dr Aafia Siddiqi, as well as other prisoners.
After seeking the interior ministry’s consent, the foreign office moved a summary to the prime minister earlier this year.
The issue of an agreement was formally taken up with Washington some four years back when the then interior minister Rehman Malik and US Attorney General Eric Holder met to discuss matters related to prisoners, including Dr Aafia, Mirza had informed a Senate panel while explaining the matter.
Pakistan is also considering signing the Inter-American Convention on Serving Criminal Sentences Abroad (2001) if legal hurdles do not come in the way, he added.
But some officials in the interior ministry think otherwise. “Even if Pakistan signs these conventions, it is not certain whether the transfer of prisoners between US and Pakistan will take place or not,” observed Section Officer Usman Ghani Khattak in his official letter dispatched to the director general (US) ministry of foreign affairs, Islamabad on January 3, 2013.
“We will gather information concerning the development on the proposed treaty on transfer of offenders or convicts between Washington and Islamabad,” said Foreign Office spokesperson Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry.
Matt Boland, acting spokesperson of the US Embassy in Islamabad, claimed to be unaware of the development and hence did not comment.
Pakistan is currently in negotiations over signing the transfer of offenders’ agreement with 22 countries. These are Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, China, the Philippines, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, USA, Yemen, Lebanon, Kuwait, Russian Federation, Ukraine, Indonesia and Ireland.
Islamabad is also trying to sign extradition agreements with 18 countries.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 20th, 2013.