Ministries submit reports to IHC on Indian prisoners

ISLAMABAD: Foreign and Interior ministries submitted their replies in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday on a petition of the Indian High Commission for the release of Indian prisoners.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard a petition filed by the Indian High Commission seeking release of those Indian prisoners who had been convicted by Pakistan’s courts and had since completed their prison terms. During hearing, the court accepted the request of the Indian High Commission’s lawyer and granted him time to prepare his arguments. Chief Justice Athar Minallah said that the prisoners who had served their jail terms should be released from the jail according to the law.

Additional Attorney-General Tariq Khokhar informed the court that seven out of eight prisoners in jails had been sent to India and only one was remaining. He said one Indian prisoner had been jailed under the Spying Act. “Five Indian prisoners were sent to India on Oct 26, two more were released after the completion of their prison terms, the state counsel said. “Inform the court about the remaining prisoners, who have completed their sentences awarded by the military courts,” the Chief Justice asked. “Under which law you can keep them in prison when their sentences have been completed,” the chief justice asked. The court told the state counsel to convince the bench on the matter in the next hearing of the case and adjourned further hearing until Nov 09.