Approximately 10,432 Pak prisoners serving sentence in Saudi Arabia, 5,297 in UAE, 417 in China & 738 in India: Senate Committee informed.
Senator Zeeshan Khanzada reveals shocking details regarding Pakistani prisoners abroad
ISLAMABAD ( WEB NEWS )
Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, chaired the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development on Friday at Parliament House to deliberate on the increasing number of Pakistanis prisoners abroad.
Senator Zeeshan Khanzada revealed shocking details regarding Pakistani prisoners abroad and criticized the officials for providing inadequate information concerning these individuals. According to data from the ministry, approximately 417 prisoners are serving sentences in China, 598 in Greece, 463 in Malaysia, 738 in India, 578 in Oman, 422 in Qatar, 10,432 in Saudi Arabia, and 5,297 in the UAE, Senator Zeeshan Khanzada highlighted. He remarked that the data reflects the ministry’s efforts toward the repatriation of prisoners. Officials informed the Committee that Prisoner Repatriation Agreements have been finalized with 11 countries, while discussions are ongoing with 15 others. The Committee recommended that the ministry provide detailed profiling of the prisoners to understand the nature of the crimes committed. The Committee also inquired from the Community Welfare Attachés (CWAs) about how frequently they meet with the prisoners.
Senator Kazim Ali Shah pointed out that no welfare services have been extended to prisoners from the Sindh province. The Committee decided to review the quarterly performance of the Community Welfare Attachés and recommended allowing them to hire local diaspora members to more effectively expand welfare services to Pakistani prisoners abroad.
Discussing the performance of Special Courts established to facilitate Overseas Pakistanis, the Ministry informed the Committee that Punjab has enacted the relevant legislation. However, Senator Shahadat Awan pointed out that although the Act was passed in 2024, no data has yet been provided regarding the number of cases processed in Punjab or in any other province. He further noted that, despite the claim, no facility for recording evidence has been finalized yet. The Committee recommended that the Ministry provide the details of cases related to Overseas Pakistanis pending in court within one month.
Furthermore, the Committee was briefed on the initiatives taken to facilitate Overseas Pakistanis. Officials informed that the Ministry, in consultation with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and other educational institutions, has implemented a 5% quota in educational institutions. Officials also highlighted that, in cooperation with the Punjab Land Record Authority, the Ministry is launching a pilot project at the London Embassy to help resolve property disputes of Overseas Pakistanis. The Committee recommended extending the same facility to ICT.
In attended were Senators Zamir Hussain Ghumro, Syed Kazim Ali Shah, Gurdeep Singh, Shahadat Awan, Khalida Ateeb, Secretary Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry along with senior officials from the concerned departments.