E-Paper
Repatriation of 30 Pak nationals being considered: Centre to Punjab and Haryana HC
The additional solicitor general of India, Satya Pal Jain, informed the HC that the process regarding repatriation of Pakistan’s 30 civil prisoners, who have already completed their sentence and are currently lodged in the Central Jail, Amritsar, is under active consideration with the Union ministry of home affairs (foreigners division) and necessary exercise would be undertaken with consultation of all the stakeholders for which some time would be required.
The repatriation of 30 Pakistan nationals lodged in the Amritsar jail is being ‘actively considered’, the Central government told the Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday.
The additional solicitor general of India, Satya Pal Jain, informed the HC that the process regarding repatriation of Pakistan’s 30 civil prisoners, who have already completed their sentence and are currently lodged in the Central Jail, Amritsar, is under active consideration with the Union ministry of home affairs (foreigners division) and necessary exercise would be undertaken with consultation of all the stakeholders for which some time would be required.
As per Jain, in three cases out of these no objection from Punjab and clearance from the security agencies and the ministry of external affairs has been secured. It remains in process in other cases.
“We are sanguine that effective necessary steps will be taken by the next date of hearing so that the 30 prisoners can be repatriated at the earliest since they have already completed their sentence,” the bench of justice GS Sandhawalia observed while posting the matter for hearing on July 11.
The information was given before the bench of acting chief justice GS Sandhawalia and justice Lapita Banerji when it was hearing a suo moto plea initiated following a case of two juveniles from Pakistan, detained in juvenile homes of the state, had come to light. It was during these proceedings in March that the court had sought a list of Pakistan nationals who has completed their sentences but still languishing in Punjab jails.
With regard to juveniles, the court has been informed that two of them have been repatriated through Attari border, Amritsar, and process of handing over the third juvenile is underway.
