PHRC chief assures Burney on repatriation of Pak prisoners

Chandigarh, Apr 4 (UNI) Chairman Punjab State Human Rights Commission Justice R S Mongia today assured visiting Pak human rights activist Ansar Burney that steps were being taken to expedite the repatriation of Pakistani prisoners in various jails of Punjab.

The Punjab Government has promised to take up the issue with the Centre regarding the release of all the prisoners who have completed their sentence in Punjab jails, Justice Mongia said.

A Pakistan delegation headed by Mr Ansar Burney, Member Advisory Committee, United Nations Human Rights Council, Geneva had called on the PHRC chairman to discuss vital issues concerning human rights in the state of Punjab and Pakistan.

Mr Burney said that his priority was to strengthen the Indo-Pak relationships, promote mutual understanding, goodwill and amity between the two neighbourly countries.

He made a fervent appeal to the people of both countries to strengthen the existing relationships through frequent interaction, and exchange of ideas.

Justice R S Mongia told Mr Burney that during a recent inspection, 46 internees belonging to foreign countries were found lodged in the transit camp at the Central Jail, Amritsar.

Most of the internees were complaining that though they had already completed the term of their imprisonment, but they were not being deported to the country of their origin due to some technical problems.

Some of the internees said that they were having valid passports and entered India legally. They had over-stayed due to certain reasons beyond their control and had requested that their case might be dealt with separately.

The Jail authorities were asked to expedite their casesin accordance with law and deport them to the country of their origin as soon as possible in order to avoid violation of their human rights, Justice Mongia said.

UNI XC JN JS1843