News
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Pakistan, India set 905 and 514 prisoners free
* Iran imposed heavy fines on 2 Pakistani prisoners
By Ijaz Kakakhel
ISLAMABAD: India released total 514 Pakistani prisoners during the last four years (2008-11), while during the same period Pakistan released 905 Indian prisoners, sources informed Daily Times on Saturday.
Out of total 514 Pakistani prisoners, 214 were fishermen and 300 were ordinary civilians, who visited India but were arrested as their visas had expired or had forged documents. “Similarly, Pakistan released 872 fishermen and 33 civilians during the same period,” sources added.
In most cases, fishermen were arrested when they entered territorial waters of the hostile country during fishing.
“As relations between both the countries have been hostile since separation in 1947, that is why these innocent souls are subjected to torture and kept in dungeons for a longer period of time,” sources elaborated.
An official document available with Daily Times revealed that in 2011, India released total 109 Pakistani prisoners, including 36 fishermen and 73 ordinary civilians. In 2010, total 293 Pakistani prisoners were released, including 164 fishermen and 129 civilians.
Similarly, in 2009 and 2008, India released four Pakistani prisoners and 108 prisoners (14 fishermen and 94 civilians) respectively. On the other hand, during the year 2011, Pakistan released total 93 Indian prisoners, including 89 fishermen and four civilians. In 2010, total 474 Indian prisoners were released, including 454 fishermen and 20 civilians.
Similarly, in 2009 and 2008, Pakistan released total 100 (all fishermen) and 238 prisoners (229 fishermen and nine civilians) respectively. Pakistani prisoners in India and Indian prisoners in Pakistan are predominantly civil prisoners. Mostly charges against them are illegal/inadvertent border crossing, visa violations and over stay, the document revealed.
In India, the document revealed that there are14 Pakistani prisoners, who have not been released despite completion of their sentences. Pakistani High Commission has been pursuing their cases.
However, Commission’s efforts are circumscribed by a lukewarm response by the Indian authorities.
Despite international obligations and bilateral agreements, concerns relating to prisoners, their treatment during detention, timely intimation of arrest and their repatriation continue to persist and have been the subject of discussion between the two sides.
About the Pakistani prisoners in other countries, the document revealed that there are two Pakistani prisoners in Islamic Republic of Iran, who have completed their terms of sentence but could not be released due to non-payment of heavy fines (Rs15.801 million and 48.576 million). In Saudi Arabia, another Islamic country, out of 95 Pakistani prisoners who have completed jail terms, 75 are in deportation cells, and they will be deported after the completion of procedural formalities.
However, 15 are still in jails due to non-payment of fines, Diyat/ blood money/ Haq-e-Khas (payment of private rights), whereas in the cases of five prisoners, judgments have been announced in the last month (assistance in murder cases) and are presently being considered.Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk