By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Over 17,000 Pakistanis are languishing in foreign jails, with the vast majority detained in Middle Eastern countries, officials told a parliamentary committee in Islamabad on Monday, exposing critical gaps in consular support and inter-ministerial coordination that have left thousands of citizens in legal limbo abroad.
The Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, chaired by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, convened to tackle the mounting challenges faced by under-trial and convicted Pakistanis worldwide. Of the 17,321 detained, 17,236 are held in Middle Eastern nations, while 85 are in Afghanistan, officials reported.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs faced sharp criticism for failing to provide details on the nature of crimes for which these Pakistanis are detained. Expressing serious displeasure, the committee ordered the ministry to submit comprehensive data within 15 days, detailing the offences of all convicted or under-trial Pakistanis globally. It also demanded a list of countries that notify Pakistani authorities about such cases and those that do not, highlighting a lack of transparency in international cooperation.
Community Welfare Attachés (CWAs) from key jurisdictions provided sobering updates. The CWA in Dubai reported 3,523 Pakistani detainees, while Doha and Kuala Lumpur cited 619 and 499, respectively. These figures underscored the scale of the issue in the Gulf, where many Pakistanis work as migrant laborers, often in precarious conditions that can lead to legal entanglements.
Senator Khanzada directed the ministries of overseas Pakistanis and foreign affairs to accelerate efforts to finalize prisoner transfer agreements with foreign governments. Such agreements could pave the way for repatriating Pakistanis, particularly those deemed innocent but trapped in legal cases abroad. The committee also called for the urgent enactment of a consular protection bill, which would allow jailed Pakistanis to serve their remaining sentences in Pakistani prisons, closer to their families and support systems.
Senator Nasir Mehmood raised concerns about the 85 Pakistanis detained in Afghanistan, recommending verification of their citizenship status to ensure they receive proper consular assistance. The volatile situation in Afghanistan has complicated efforts to monitor and support detainees, making such verification critical. The committee’s scrutiny extended to the performance of CWAs, with members directing the relevant ministry to submit evaluation procedures for assessing their effectiveness, alongside detailed data on all detained Pakistanis in each jurisdiction.
Senator Shahadat Awan expressed frustration over the incomplete information in the ministries’ working papers, stressing the need for “complete and accurate information in a professional manner before such a prestigious forum.” A recurring theme was the lack of coordination among the ministries of foreign affairs, interior, and overseas Pakistanis.
Senator Khanzada emphasized the importance of improving inter-ministerial cooperation, noting that disjointed efforts have hindered the welfare of Pakistanis abroad. He reiterated the urgent need for a consular protection act to safeguard the rights of detained citizens, a measure seen as critical to addressing systemic shortcomings in Pakistan’s consular framework. In a separate discussion, the committee reviewed the work of the National Vocational & Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC).
Senator Khanzada praised NAVTTC’s efforts to skill Pakistanis for global job markets but urged the commission to align its programs with international standards to boost overseas employment opportunities. This focus on vocational training reflects Pakistan’s broader strategy to reduce vulnerabilities among its migrant workforce, many of whom face exploitation or legal issues abroad due to a lack of skills or protections.
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