Pakistan and UK Prisoner Transfer Agreement

 

LONDON:  Pakistan and the United Kingdom have exchanged the instruments of ratification of the agreement on the transfer of prisoners between the two countries that will allow the convicts the choice of spending the remainder of their sentences in the either country.

 

A certificate to this effect was signed by Pakistan High Commissioner to the UK Wajid Shamsul Hasan and Director, Consular Services, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Julian Braithwaite, at the Old Admiralty Building on Tuesday.

 

The two countries had signed agreement on PTA (Prisoner Transfer Agreement) in Islamabad in August last year and the ceremony to exchange the instruments of ratification took place yesterday afternoon.

 

With the exchange of documents, PTA has come into force allowing UK nationals imprisoned in Pakistan to be transferred to their home country to serve the remainder of their sentences while Pakistani nationals locked up in UK to be sent home in a similar manner.

 

Speaking on the occasion, the High Commissioner said the repatriation of Pakistani nationals who are detained in UK on the violation of immigration laws will allow them to maintain ties with their families more easily and removes cultural and language difficulties and contribute to their rehabilitation.

 

Braithwaite said the British Government welcome this agreement with Pakistan and it provides a sensible and practical way to allow people to return and serve sentences in their home country.

 

However, he added that the transfers require State consent as well as the blessing of the prisoner themselves. He further said the UK has PTA with over 100 countries worldwide.

 

The Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner Manzur-ul-Haq who was also present on the occasion said as of June this year, there were 393 Pakistani nationals in prisons in England and Wales as against 22 British nationals in Pakistani jails at the end of March 2008.

 

 

August 20, 2008