Islamabad(Tazeen Akhtar)The relatives of Pakistani prisoners in China staged protests in Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawer on 22 May 2019 to attract attention of concerned authorities of both countries to expedite the process of returning them to their native country where they can complete the rest of the sentences. The protesters urged Pakistani and Chinese governments to repatriate or release prisoners on humanitarian grounds.They also appealed to the Supreme Court chief justice to take a suo motu notice of the matter to ensure corrective measures by the government.
Dozens of children, women and other relatives gathered outside National Press Club Islamabad and raised slogans to return their loved ones as both countries agreed upon in Nov 2018. The participants postponed their march towards Foreign Office Pakistan when an official called and assured that their case is being seen on priority basis.
Here it is worth mentioning that a treaty for transfer of sentenced persons between Pakistan and China was signed in Beijing, providing legal grounds for cooperation in transfer of sentenced people on 09 Nov 2018.The treaty was signed by Chinese Minister of Justice Fu Zhenghua and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on behalf of their countries during Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to China.
The agreement provides that sentenced persons having difficulties in language, habits, religions and visits would be allowed to return to their respective countries to finish their prison terms there.The pact will take effect after the two countries’ legislative institutions give their approval.
Shaista a mother of 3 kids was left alone to raise them when Chinese authorities held her husband Amir who was on a business visit to China on suspicion charges only and barred for life term. Shaista is looking for her husband for nine long years. She has raised the kids on her own. Shaista is a fitness instructor. She says that the kids need their father.
Sohail Akhtar, whose brother has been jailed in China for the last 10 years, said that extradition agreement was signed between Beijing and Islamabad in 2005 for the exchange of prisoners but it had yet to be implemented in letter and spirit.
Around 450 Pakistanis were languishing in different Chinese jails and the extradition treaty’s implementation would ensure their shifting to Pakistani jails. 100 belong to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 20 of them were women.Most of them had been awaiting release despite serving jail term.
The families approached the relevant federal ministries and agencies on the matter, but to no avail.The people of other countries detained in China had been repatriated but the Pakistani government hadn’t taken any step for the return of Pakistanis languishing in Chinese jails.
A woman, whose son Wajid Ali has been behind bars in China for 10 years, also regretted that the relevant Pakistani authorities hadn’t taken steps for the repatriation of the detainee.She urged the Chinese government to free all Pakistani prisoners, who have completed their jail term.She also appealed to the president, prime minister and foreign minister to step in and ensure the early shifting of his son and other prisoners from China to Pakistan.
