ISLAMABAD: More than 50 Pakistanis, who had been imprisoned in Sri Lanka, were due to return home on Sunday, Pakistani state media reported.
The return of these Pakistani prisoners follows months of diplomatic negotiations between Pakistani and Sri Lankan authorities.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi spearheaded the efforts to secure their release, while Privatization Minister Abdul Aleem Khan announced bearing all expenses in this regard.
“A chartered flight has left for Sri Lanka to bring the Pakistani prisoners back,” the state-run Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
Naqvi expressed his gratitude to the Sri Lankan government and the high commissioner for their support in this regard, according to the report.
Sri Lankan High Commissioner Ravindra Chandra Srivijay Gunaratne met Naqvi in July and discussed with him matters of mutual interest, including the release of Pakistani nationals imprisoned in Sri Lanka.
A total of 23,456 Pakistani citizens are imprisoned in various countries, local media reported, citing the Pakistani Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights.
Of them, 15,587 have been convicted of different offenses and 7,869 are under-trial.
