M A I N   N E W S

MP for consular access to Indians
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 30
The Indian Government should seek consular access to all Indians languishing in Pakistani jails and pursue their case as vigorously as Sarabjit Singh’s. In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab, Ashwani Kumar said a large number of Indians, many from Gurdaspur district, were languishing in Pakistani jails, and New Delhi should “secure consular access to all our citizens now in Pakistani jails.”

Quoting the news report in The Tribune highlighting the plight of the families whose members are jailed in Pakistan, the MP said the government should assist those families “where necessary with resources and assistance to pursue their cases, including a review of their convictions and to present reprieve petitions to the authorities concerned where possible.”

Mr Ashwani Kumar also urged the Prime Minister to “secure their release wherever possible by taking up their cases on humanitarian and legal grounds.”

He also sought to “provide immediate relief and succour to their families backhome including employment to at least one member of their families.” According to official data, there are 1,348 Indians in Pakistani jails — 923 civilians, 371 fishermen and 54 prisoners of war.

“However, Pakistan has acknowledged the presence of 182 civilian prisoners only,” Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamad told the Rajya Sabha.

Pakistan has also been carrying out an exercise of verifying its prisoners in Indian jails and had established the identity of some of them. Islamabad has sought consular access to 222 of its citizens jailed in India.