Q4601.PRISONERS IN PAKISTANI JAILS

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government of India has carried out any verification about Indian citizenship of the prisoners captive in Pakistani jails;
(b) if so, the number of Indian prisoners who belongs to Barmer and Jaisalmer districts;

(c) the efforts made by the Government for their release from the jails of Pakistan; and

(d) the success achieved by the Government in this regard?

ANSWER THE MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI S.M. KRISHNA)

(a) High Commission of India, Islamabad, on a continuing basis, monitors the status of Indians prisoners in Pakistani jails and requests for consular access for these prisoners. Once consular access is granted by the Government of Pakistan, the verification papers are sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs through the Ministry of External Affairs for nationality status verification of these prisoners.

(b) Currently, as per our records, there are no prisoners with confirmed Indian nationality from Barmer or Jaisalmer.

(c) High Commission of India regularly takes up the matter with the Government of Pakistan for the release of all those Indian prisoners who have completed their sentences.

(d) 17 Indian prisoners were released by the Government of Pakistan on June 23, 2010.

http://www.mea.gov.in/mystart.php?id=220116692.