LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah Friday directed the Foreign Ministry to device a protection policy for overseas Pakistanis detained in jails of different countries.
The chief justice observed that the Pakistan government was constitutionally bound to protect the rights of its citizens trapped in jails of other countries.
He remarked that the court wanted to know as to what steps had been taken for the protection/legal aid of Pakistani citizens detained abroad.
The court directed the ministry to device a consular protection policy and to submit a compliance report till March 14.
The chief justice was hearing a fresh application moved on behalf of a law firm – Justice Project Pakistan (JPP) – seeking release of Pakistani citizens detained at Bagram Theatre Internment Camp, Afghanistan and other countries.
A deputy attorney general informed that US administration had repatriated 43 Pakistanis detained at Bagram Airbase Internment Centre, Afghanistan in 2015. He said that at present 55 Pakistanis were detained at the Bagram Jail.
He also said that there was no prisoner exchange agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan under Vienna Convention.
Counsel for petitioner Barrister Sarah Belal claimed that the government had not been taking effective measures to protect its citizens detained abroad, especially at Bagram Jail.
