SL government turned its ear on calls for help from over 16 Pakistanis who have been sentenced jail and undergoing punishment in Sri Lanka’s jails on different charges for several years. This is according to a draft agreement signed in 2004 between the two countries for the transfer offenders to their homelands. These prisoners would travel in four groups, and the process had already started on May 27.
“These Pakistanis, few with legal documents, have been sending mercy letters to the embassy officials, human rights organizations and the SL government. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa took special interest in their plight and interfered and that’s why these prisoners thank the President,” prison officers said.
When a prisoner has no access to his family or relatives, it becomes an additional punishment other than the punishment they undergo for the offence. And, conditions become simply miserable when a prisoner finds it difficult to interact with other nationals. “However, there are legal provisions in transfer draft to serve their terms in their own country,” they said.
Prisoners serving terms in foreign countries rarely receive a positive response from authorities and missions in concerned capitals though they send thousands of mercy letters. The situation is of great concern and these countries should also sign transfer of offender agreements,
The prisoners are to be received in Karachi by the immigration authorities of Pakistan, according to a statement issued by the Information Section of the High Commission of Pakistan in Sri Lanka. The prisoners would be handed over to the prisons officials of the Sindh Home Department to complete their remaining jail terms. All prisoners have thanked Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Pakistan High Commissioner in Colombo and the authorities for taking interest in their transfer.
Courtesy: Government Information Department
