More than 200 Pakistani prisoners are languishing in Alore transit camp of India even after completion of their term awarded by Indian courts, while hundreds other Pakistanis are forced to lead a miserable life in different Indian Jails, said Syed Ulfat Hussain Kazmi, President and Executive Director of Global Foundation here on Sunday.
In a letter addressed to Prime Ministers of Pakistan and India, and Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Kazmi stressed the need of immediate measures for the release of these prisoners and asked the two governments to take cognisance of the gross violation of the basic rights of these prisoners languishing in the jails of two countries.
Global Foundation is an NGO working for the protection of human rights with special emphasise on rights of prisoners.
Kazmi in his letter said that the plight of Pakistani prisoners in miserable in the Alore transit camp as they were lodged in a small room of 20ft/22ft in the camp and they are being treated with inhuman treatment by Indian authorities.
He said that hundreds of Pakistani prisoners are languishing in different Indian jails from 15 to 20 years.
He said that 52 Pakistani prisoners were lodged in 14 small cells of Amritsar jail, while 20 are in Patiala Jail, 15 in Central Jail Jaipur, and 12 in Central Jail Jodhpur.
"Eight prisoners in Amritsar Jail have lost their mental capability, while counting the days for their release", he said.
Amritsar Jail is one of the notorious jails of India particularly for Pakistani prisoners, Kazmi said and added that about 100 Pakistanis have so far lost their lives in this notorious jail as a result of the inhuman treatment meted to them by jail officials.
He said that these prisoners were denied the basic human rights by the Indian administration and are not allowed to shave, bath and make priming of their hairs. They have no right to write letters to their relatives.
He said that they are being provided sub-standard food and behaviour of the jail officials is completely inhuman. "Prisoner who raise voice against these human rights violations is being made naked and put in the cell of mentally distorted people", Kazmi said.
He said that out of 85 prisoners lodged in Kot Lakhpat jail Lahore 65 including 4 women have completed their term, while two prisoners Kirpal Singh and Sujeet
Singh were awarded death sentences and their appeal is under process in Supreme Court. He said in Adiala jail Rawalpindi 26 prisoners in spite of completing their term are still waiting for their release for many years.
Global Foundation chief in his letter said that Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali has passed clear orders that prisoners who have completed their term should be released and let them to live a free life.
But the rigid and callous attitude of Indian authorities is only hurdle in release of these Indian prisoners in Pakistan, he added.
He said that last year a delegation from Indian High Commission in Islamabad visited Adiala Jail and interviewed these prisoners but of no use they have so far made no attempt to get these prisoners released.
He called upon the two Prime Ministers that when they are making attempts for normalisation, cricket matches and exchange of other sports teams is continue and delegations of politicians, artists, traders, writers are moving across the border at random but no attempt was made for the release of the prisoners languishing in jails of two countries.
Terming it grave violation of basic human rights on the part of two countries he appealed the two governments to take measures for release of these prisoners.