Over 17,000 Pakistanis imprisoned abroad, mostly in Middle East

Dubai: A total of 17,321 Pakistanis are currently imprisoned in foreign countries, the vast majority of them in the Middle East, officials revealed during a Senate committee meeting in Islamabad on Monday.

The Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, chaired by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, met to address the plight of under-trial and convicted Pakistani citizens detained abroad.

Of these, 17,236 Pakistanis are incarcerated in Middle Eastern countries alone, while 85 are being held in Afghanistan. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was unable to provide specific details about the crimes for which these individuals have been detained — a lapse that drew sharp criticism from the committee, Dawn online reported.

Expressing serious concern over the absence of this critical information, the Senate panel directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to submit a comprehensive report within 15 days, detailing the nature of charges or convictions for each imprisoned Pakistani abroad. The Foreign Office was also told to provide a list of countries that notify Pakistan about such arrests and the countries that withhold information from Pakistani authorities

According to a document submitted to the National Assembly, 15,953 Pakistanis are imprisoned across the Middle East and Southeast Asia, with Saudi Arabia accounting for the highest number at 10,289 despite having an extradition agreement with Pakistan.

Other major figures include:

United Arab Emirates (UAE): 3,523

Kuwait: 50

Bahrain: 581

Oman: 252

Qatar: 599

Iraq: 81

Jordan: 8

Egypt: 4

Asia-Pacific detentions

Malaysia: 469

Thailand: 35

Cambodia: 22

Philippines & Vietnam: 1 each

Australia: 27

South Korea: 7

Japan: 16

The ministry reported that 2,100 Pakistanis are imprisoned across 14 countries that do not have extradition agreements with Islamabad, complicating efforts to bring prisoners home.

The Senate panel called on the ministries of overseas Pakistanis and foreign affairs to finalise more prisoner transfer agreements, particularly to help innocent Pakistanis caught in legal disputes abroad. The enactment of a consular protection act was also urged to ensure legal safeguards for Pakistani citizens detained overseas.

Incomplete reports

Senator Shahadat Awan expressed concern over the incomplete and poorly prepared reports submitted by the ministries, calling for accurate, professional data presentation. The committee chair also criticised the lack of coordination between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior, and Overseas Pakistanis, stressing the urgent need for better inter-ministerial cooperation for the welfare of Pakistanis living and working abroad.