Islamabad
Although Interior Minister Ch Nisar Ali Khan has taken a personal interest in the verification and later efforts for the release of a reported Pakistani female detained in an Indian jail along with her minor, there are 24 more Pakistani prisoners identified in 8 Indian jails, still awaiting his attention for their release.
On May 28, 2016, almost two months before the visit of Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh to Islamabad to attend the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), this correspondent raised the issue of the release of 68 Pakistani and Indian prisoners kept in the jails of both the countries in The News.
The 2016 data of prisoners of both the countries had revealed that there were total 68 prisoners in the jails of both the countries. Out of total 68 prisoners 25 Pakistanis were in Indian jails and 43 Indians were in Pakistani jails. On January 1st, 2017 Pakistan has again sent the lists of Indian prisoners. According to the list almost 50 Indian prisoners are in Pakistani jails. Pakistani is yet to receive the list of its prisoners in Indian jails.
The issue became the victim of traditional rivalry between the two countries on August 3, 2016, when Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Interior Minister Ch.Nisar Ali Khan met in Islamabad but exchanged allegations of interference in each other's country. Both the ministers could not sit together on the sidelines of the meeting which ended on sour notes. This event buried the hopes of all the families of the prisoners who were hoping to see their loved ones released from the jails of both the countries.
Now due to the case of Rubina and her daughter the issue of the prisoner has come under the spotlight of media again. This requires the sympathetic attention of the ruling establishments of both the countries for the release of these civilian prisoners. It is pertinent to mention that both the countries regularly release the fishermen caught in the sea however the issue of the release of these civilian prisoners has been shelved for last many years.
The issue of civilian prisoners in both the countries was first introduced and discussed in the bilateral discussion by the dynamic former Interior Secretary Kamal Shah in 2005 with his Indian counterpart at that point of time. Later both the countries also fixed annual dates of release respectively on August 14 and August 15. It was agreed that both the countries would release the civilian prisoners on the eve of each other independence day.
Indians released the first batch on August 14 and by Pakistanis on August 15 of the year 2005. Later the violent incidents have suspended this agreement since the Mumbai attacks in November 2008. Now Kamal Shah a former Secretary of Interior from Police group is living his retired life in Islamabad however, the prisoners released during his tenure still remember the era.
Currently, Pakistani prisoners detained in eight Indian jails also include deaf and dumb, mentally retarded and a lady with her minor child. The stalled talks between India and Pakistan have practically hampered the release process of total 68 prisoners of both the countries. Out of these 68 prisoners, 25 are Pakistanis in Indian jails and 43 Indians are lying in the Pakistani prisons.
Both the countries exchanged lists of their prisoners last year in February and would be trading again in February next month as agreed between two countries. The News has exclusively obtained the list of the 25 Pakistani prisoners in the Indian jails along with their pictures.
The data of the prisoners received by the Interior Ministry since 2016 through Foreign Office from Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi reveals that this figure is only 8 out of almost 1387 Indian jails. It is yet not clear whether the rest 1379 Indian jails also have Pakistani prisoners or not.
The powerful establishments of both the countries are yet in the process of figuring out the "conducive environment for dialogue" but the poor people arrested for minor crimes in both the countries are helplessly languishing in jails where they are daily abused and treated as enemies as both the countries have yet to introduce prison reforms. Eight prisoners in Indian jails are from Punjab, seven from Sindh, three from KP, two from Azad Jammu and Kashmir and one prisoner from federal capital.
In the list four prisoners are mentally disabled and are reported as deaf and dumb, they are not even aware of their names and whereabouts in Pakistan. Indian authorities have shown arrest of two out of four in 2007 and one in 2009 and another in 2011. It is suspected that all of them were detained in the 80s, and kept in custody of Indian authorities and are shown on record recently. All are lying in Amritsar jail.
The documents also include a picture of a woman Rubina along with her minor Zeenat Ara about whom Interior Minister has taken notice. Rubina, according to the documents, is daughter of Dil Muhammad and wife of Muhammad Noor, and has been in Central Jail, Kotbalwal, Jammu since November 6, 2012.
The record says the lady hails from Musa Colony, Hyderabad or Karachi. The sources claim that the case of Rubina is shuttling between Interior Ministry and Sindh government since 2013.
The special branch Sindh Police has already declared that the address of Rubina in Musa colony Hyderabad is not verified as there is no such colony exists in district Hyderabad and surroundings. The case has again referred to the Pakistani High Commission , New Delhi.
There are total 25 Pakistani prisoners including Rubina in Indian jails. Out of these 25 prisoners 11 are in Amritsar jail, 6 in Bhuj, Gujrat 2 prisoners in Rai Singh Nagar, 3 in Jammu and one each in New Delhi, Alwar, Ferozpur.
The data also reflects that six Pakistani prisoners are still lying in the joint interrogation center of Bhuj, Gujarat, which indicates that despite their arrest years before, they are still under investigation.
Following is the province-wise detail of the Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails, nobody from Balochistan has surfaced in the record of eight Indian jails.
Federal Capital:
1. Aftab Khan s/o Abdul Ghafar Khan (late), hails from House No 61, Street No 5 near Parliament House, Islamabad. He is currently lying Central Jail, Tihar of New Delhi.
Punjab:
1. Muhammad Imran s/o Muhammad Anwar hails from village Batala, P/S Sonali, District, Sheikhupura. Currently in Amritsar jail since October 7, 2007.
2. Sanaullah Sahib s/o Suleman Sahib a resident of Haroonabaad, Bahwalnagar. Currently he is in sub jail, Raisingh Nagar. There is no mention of his date of arrest in the record.
3. Rameez Raja alias Abad s/o Abid Shah, Farida Shah, Noor Hussain hails from village Gawal Garhi , Narowal. He is in Amritsar detention center since September 15, 2006.
4. Sajad Ali s/o Akbar Ali hails from Gali No 17, Galla Mandi, Gujranwala. He is in the detention center of Amritsar since September 13, 2008.
5. Shabbir Hussain s/o Barkat Ali hails from village Nehr Colony, Ganda Nala, Bhai Pheru , Kasur. He is also in Amritsar detention center since September 2, 2008.
6. Javed Aslam s/o Noor alias Muhammad Bux hails from Gali No 240, Ghalla Mandi, Multan. He is in Alwar detention center since March 31, 2010.
7. Akram alais Muhammad s/o Akbar Ali alias Akbar Ali, a resident of Khasidpur Shakargarh, Sialkot. He also claims to be resident of Moti Mughlan Qila Soba Singh, Sheikhupura.
8. Kashif alias Kasim s/o Arshad Ali alias Waseem Shah a resident of Bati, Chowk Stop, Mohalla Bariwali Gali, near Sabaz Phool Hospital, Sialkot. He is in Amritsar jail since November 11, 2011.
9. Siraj Ahmed s/o Iftikhar Ahmed a resident of Golramor, Daewoo Stop, Street No 3, Mohalla Nowshahi near Kohinoor Mill, Rawalpindi. He is in Ferozpur jail since October 17, 2013.
KP:
1. Ajmal s/o Taj Gul hails from village Bidad Kas Kuroona, Jandmulla or Samrat, Mardan. He is lying in Amritsar jail since November 1, 2005.
2. Akhtar Hussain s/o Noor Hussain alias Noor Rehman, a resident of Lokia, Peshawar or village Palo Dehri, tehsil Takhtbhai Sar Injan Khan , Mardan. He is in district jail Jammu since December 2, 2012.
Sindh:
1.Imran Kamran s/o Kamran a resident of Badin, Sindh. He is currently in Mental Hospital Bhuj, Gujarat. His date of detention is July 8, 2009.
2.Karim Khan alias Karam Ali s/o Liaqat Khan, a resident of village Shah Mauri, Qazi fruit farm, Tando Jan Muhammad, Sindh. He is in joint interrogation center, Bhuj, Gujarat. His date of arrest is July 15, 2011.
3. Moolchand alias Hussain s/o Same alias Shamu Bhai and a resident of Badin, Sindh. He is currently in joint interrogation center Bhuj, Gujarat. His date of arrest is September 6, 2011.
4. Mrs Rubina alongwith her minor baby Zeenat Ara, daughter of Dil Muhammad and wife of Muhammad Noor. She hails from Musa Colony, Hyderabad or Karachi. Currently she is in central jail, Kotbalwal, Jammu. Her date of arrest is November 6, 2012.
5. Arbas s/o Misari is a resident of Badin, Sindh. He is currently in joint interrogation center Bhuj, Gujarat. His date of arrest is October 18, 2013.
6. Ramesh Bhai’s 7o Naru Bhai Thakur is a resident of village Paggo, near Sabzimandi , Mirpurkhas, Sindh or Naru Shankar Ki Goth, Nooriabad, Sindh. He is currently in joint interrogation center, Gujarat. His date of arrest is February 26, 2014.
7. Ashiq Ali s/o Sadiq Ali is a resident of Muhallah Jogi Faqir, Wassan stop, near Sheikh Goth, Matli, Sindh. He is currently in joint interrogation center, Bhuj, Gujarat. He was arrested on March 31, 2014.
AJK:
1. Shafiq Khan s/o Muhammad Sharif alias Sudhan, a resident of village Kuiyan, Khaigala, Rawlakot. He is lying in Jammu jail since July 5, 2013.
2. Iftikhar s/o Behram Ali, a resident of village Khunni Batakote Basadi, Gala Kanyala, Pin code 12150, tehsil Palandri Sadhnoti, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. He is in district jail, Poonch, since December 26, 2013.