The Ramazan amnesty by the government of the United Arab Emirates will reunite 572 Pakistanis who had been in jails in that country with their families in Pakistan in time for on Eid. Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal, who shared the news with reporters at a weekly press briefing, said 2,409 Pakistanis were languishing in eight UAE jails, serving prison terms for various crimes. The release of prisoners comes in the wake of an amnesty announced by Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE president. Pakistani missions abroad are often accused of a lukewarm attitude towards Pakistani in need of consular help, particularly those in jails. It is hoped that the mission in the UAE will help the released people fly back to Pakistan at the earliest.
The number of the Pakistanis in UAE jails is 2,409. The number of Pakistanis in jails world over is more than 11,000. Most of them are low-wage workers who have landed in jails because of weak regulation of labour migration in Pakistan. In search for greener pastures, they fall prey to human trafficking, forced labour and ill treatment in detention overseas. Authoritarian justice systems in Gulf countries and Saudi Arabia often favour their local employers.
During Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman’s visit to Pakistan in February this year, Prime Minister Imran Khan had passionately pleaded for Pakistani prisoners in Saudi jails. Saudi jails currently house 3,309 Pakistanis. Some of them have been held for years without a trial. The prince promised to look into the matter personally. However, only about 200 of the prisoners have returned home so far. Last week, a Pakistani couple was beheaded for drug smuggling. Their minor son returned home an orphan. It is high time the prime minister followed up on his request to the crown prince.
Expatriates are important to the economy on account of their remittances. The government needs to take their problems seriously and plug the loopholes in recruitment rules for migrant workers in Pakistan. Up to 10 million Pakistanis work abroad. About 1.5 million of them left the country for work during the last three years.
A recent report by Justice Project Pakistan has concluded that the suffering of the Pakistanis in foreign jails can be addressed through better coordination among government departments. Proper briefings should be arranged for migrant workers before they depart overseas. Our foreign missions, should have legal experts to help the workers in case of a disagreement with their employers. Such measures can make migrant workers feel empowered and secure. Empowered and confident Pakistanis overseas can servetheir country better. *