A special chartered flight brought back 56 Pakistani prisoners, including five women and 51 men, from Sri Lanka. The repatriation was a result of meetings between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Sri Lankan High Commissioner, Admiral (r) Ravindra Chandrasiri Wijegunaratne in May and July.
The prisoners expressed gratitude towards Naqvi and privatisation minister Abdul Aleem Khan for covering all expenses related to their return. One elderly woman thanked them, saying, “Your kindness will never be forgotten.” Another prisoner added, “We were in difficult conditions, but thankfully, we are back home.”
Naqvi commended the cooperation of the Sri Lankan government and High Commissioner in facilitating the prisoners’ return. He also acknowledged the financial support provided by the privatisation minister throughout the repatriation process.
Earlier this year, the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights highlighted that around 23,456 Pakistani nationals were imprisoned abroad, mostly in Gulf countries. They urged the foreign ministry to expedite the ‘Uniform Consular Protection Policy’ for implementation.