Islamabad (Adnan Hameed) : Pakistani prisoners as many as 56 who have been imprisoned in Sri Lanka for several years will return home Sunday (today) via chartered plane.
Federal Minister for Investment Board, Communications, and Privatization Abdul Aleem Khan personally covering all repatriation expenses.
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi expressed gratitude to Abdul Aleem Khan for his generous support in facilitating the return of the prisoners.
He also extended thanks to the Sri Lankan government and the High Commissioner for their cooperation throughout the process.
The Ministry of Interior has been actively engaging with Sri Lankan authorities for the past three months, following the instructions of Minister Naqvi, to ensure the safe return of these Pakistani nationals.
As per the details, a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights was presided over by Senator Waleed Iqbal, in which the officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed the total number of Pakistani citizens behind bars at different prisons around the world.
The officials briefed the senators that a total of 23,456 Pakistanis are imprisoned across the world out of which 15,587 have been convicted. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that there are more than 7,000 under trial Pakistanis in different countries as their cases are being heard in courts of the respective countries.