COLOMBO: The High Commissioner of Pakistan Major General (Retd) Muhammad Saad Khattak bade farewell to his country’s prisoners at the airport.
A group of 44 Pakistani nationals who were in Sri Lankan prisons for various drug related offences were sent home by the Sri Lankan government on Tuesday from the Bandaranaike International Airport here(BIA). .
Commissioner General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya stated that 44 Pakistani prisoners were handed over to prison officers from their country at the BIA tomorrow (03).
The prisoners are expected to complete lengthy prison sentences for drug-related offenses in their home country close to family and friends, in accordance with a 2004 agreement on the transfer of offenders between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Transfers are allowed in cases where sentences exceed a minimum of six months, the agreement states.
Pakistani government sent a plane to bring back Pakistani prisoners from Sri Lanka.
The decision had been reached during a meeting summoned by Pakistan’s Interior Ministry to discuss the matter pertaining to the repatriation of Pakistani prisoners from Sri Lanka.
Pakistani authorities have worked to bring back Pakistani prisoners stranded abroad and in a similar successful effort, at least 250 Pakistani inmates arrived at Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore from Malaysia on board a Malaysian airline flight in May this year.
Speaking at the BIA to the departing prisoner, the high commissioner advised them to refrain from such crimes in future so as to lead a better life with their loved ones once they reach Pakistan. The life at the prison is not a very encouraging way of living, especially when they had to suffer for their crimes away from their motherland and families for such a long time.
The prisoners were very happy to go back to Pakistan and committed to lead a healthy and productive life once they were out of the prison. The prisoners thanked the High Commissioner for all the help extended in their long and technical repatriation process including the assistance provided to them by the High Commission of Pakistan while they were waiting for the process to complete.