Joint judicial panel wants adequate security for Indians in Pakistan jails

It said the committee will review the arrangements during its next visit to Kot Lakhpat Jail. The committee also recommended that detailed report of the official inquiry conducted by relevant Pakistani authorities into the April 26 assault on Sarabjit be shared with the members of the panel at the earliest.

The committee noted that the mortal remains of Chambail Singh were sent back to India after nearly two months of his death on January 15 and that the copy of the autopsy report has not yet been shared with the Indian side. “It was recommended that the post mortem report of Chambail Singh be shared with the Indian side without any further delay,” the statement said.

The committee was also informed about the escape of an undertrial Indian fisherman from Karachi’s Malir Jail on February 11 and detention of the crew of the two Indian vessels along with its cargo,off Pasni,Pakistan on April 18-19.

A total number of 535 Indian prisoners including 483 fishermen (11 of them juveniles) lodged in District Jail Malir,eight prisoners believed to be Indian nationals from Rawalpindi’s Adiyala Jail and 36 from Kot Lakhpat Jail were presented before the committee during its visit to the jails between April 26 and May 1.

The panel comprised Justice (retd) A S Gill and Justice (retd) M A Khan from the Indian side,and Justice (retd) Abdul Qadir Chaudhry,Justice (retd) Nasir Aslam Zahid and Justice (retd) Mian Muhammad Ajmal from Pakistan side.

PANEL RECOMENDATIONS

*Consular Access Agreement signed between the two governments in May 2008 should be implemented in letter and spirit and consular access must be provided within three months of arrest and not after completion of prison term.

*Consular access must be provided immediately to all prisoners who have not got it yet and the process of nationality confirmation should start.