Establishment of facilitation desks for families of Pakistani prisoners abroad proposed by Senate Committee

ISLAMABAD, Sep 20 (SABAH): A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, chaired by Senator Irfan Ul Haque Siddiqui, convened on Friday at the Parliament House. During the session, Senator Siddiqui proposed the creation of special facilitation desks in Foreign Office to assist families of the approximately 22,000 Pakistanis imprisoned in different countries abroad.

Senator Siddiqui emphasized the need for a systematic approach to keep families informed about the well-being of their incarcerated relatives, urging the foreign ministry to expedite this initiative and to launch public awareness campaigns regarding this initiative.

The ministry reported that there are 22,150 Pakistani nationals incarcerated internationally for various offenses, including illegal entry, murder, kidnapping, and drug trafficking. In response to inquiries about government efforts for their release, it was explained that an electronic system in the EU enables real-time data exchange regarding Pakistani prisoners, ensuring that ambassadors are informed and can act swiftly.

The committee also discussed additional support services provided by the ministry, such as translation services, medical and hygiene assistance and emergency travel documents. Senator Siddiqui acknowledged these initiatives but reiterated the necessity of accessible facilitation desks for families, as not all can approach the embassies abroad.

Furthermore, the committee deliberated on the performance of the Foreign Services Academy and related institutions, with a decision to evaluate potential mergers based on overlapping functions.

The committee was informed about the forthcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, which Pakistan will host, aimed at enhancing regional cooperation and bilateral relations. It was apprised that participation from all the member heads of Government are expected in the summit, to be held next month.

Lastly, the agenda for the next meeting was discussed including deliberations on the reinforcement of Indus Water Treaty and security issues, particularly in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, the committee will seek briefings from the Ministry of Water Resources and other relevant authorities. This issue was raised by Senator Sherry Rehman who elaborated the water issue at length.

Following the recent incident involving the Afghan Council General in Peshawar it was briefed that after the incident the provincial governments have been reminded to get the permission of the foreign office prior to meet any foreign dignitaries, describing the agenda of the meeting.

The meeting was attended by Senators Sherry Rehman, Muhammad Abdul Qadir, and Atta ur Rehman, along with senior officials from the ministry including the Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch. The Committee Chairman welcomed the new Foreign Secretary and acknowledged her diplomatic career spread over span of 3 decades. The committee also congratulated her as the 2nd Foreign Secretary recognizing it as a unique honour for the country.