ISLAMABAD: 43 nationals jailed in Sri Lanka on various charges returned to Pakistan early on Wednesday to complete their remaining jail term in the country, Pakistan High Commission in Colombo said.
The repatriation of these prisoners is in accordance with a 2004 agreement on the transfer of offenders between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Under the agreement, transfers are allowed in cases where sentences exceed a minimum of six months.
High Commissioner Maj Gen (r) Muhammad Saad Khattak saw the prisoners off at the airport, a tweet from his office said, from where they took a chartered flight Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight home.
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H.E. Maj Gen @SaadKhtk @PakistaninSL bade farewell to prisoners at the airport. While addressing them at the airport, H.E. advised them to refrain from any crimes in future so as to lead a better life with their loved ones once they reach 🇵🇰.@MFA_SriLanka @ForeignOfficePk pic.twitter.com/gQkzTfzM8u
— Pakistan High Commission, Colombo (@PakistaninSL) November 4, 2020
Addressing the returning nationals in the departure lounge of Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, Khattak “advised them to refrain from such crimes in the future so as to lead a better life with their loved ones once they reach Pakistan.”
Reports citing diplomatic sources suggest the prisoners were handed over to Pakistani prison officers at Bandaranaike International Airport.
Many of the Pakistanis were reportedly detained on drug trafficking-related charges.
Last year in December, during Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s visit to Colombo, Sri Lanka had sought Islamabad’s assistance in its fight against drug trafficking.
Colombo is a growing hub for international drug trafficking. While Sri Lanka does not appear to be a final destination for many of the drugs transiting the country, drug abuse has spiked in recent years, prompting the government to launch ambitious measures.
