The Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development has urged authorities to accelerate negotiations on prisoner transfer agreements with various countries. During a meeting chaired by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, the committee discussed pressing issues surrounding consular services for Pakistanis detained abroad, focusing on Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, and Oman.
The committee was informed that out of 900 prisoners interviewed in Saudi Arabia, the national status of 400 had been verified, paving the way for their potential transfer back to Pakistan. Senator Faisal Vawda pledged support for vulnerable prisoners such as orphans, widows, and the elderly, suggesting efforts to secure pardons for applicable cases. Chairman Zeeshan Khanzada endorsed these initiatives, ensuring full committee backing.
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Discussions extended to ongoing prisoner transfer agreements with the UAE, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and other nations. The Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) briefed the committee on the progress of these agreements, emphasizing the need for legal representation and impartial translators for detainees.
The committee also raised concerns about Pakistanis detained due to unpaid fines, with approximately 5,000 Pakistanis currently imprisoned across the West, most convicted of drug-related offences. The need for biometric machines at various missions was highlighted to facilitate detainees in renewing passports and filing appeals.
Further discussions touched on the confiscation of passports for Pakistani Zaireen traveling to Iraq, with the committee requesting Senator Raja Nasir Abbas be appointed as the focal person to address the issue.
