A total of 10, 896 Pakistanis are languishing in prisons of 28 countries. Of them, according to data, 6,211 Pakistanis have been held guilty on various charges in absence of any kind of legal aid by Pakistan’s diplomatic missions abroad, whereas 4, 500 have cases still pending against them. Of the total, 4,120 Pakistani inmates face charges of drug smuggling, while 1,195 have been detained for travelling without necessary documents and 1,737 for abduction and theft The United Arab Emirates, Oman, China, India, Iraq, Kuwait, Malaysia, Turkey, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Qatar, Russia, Portugal, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Italy, Greece and France, Canada, Hungry, Australia, Bahrain and Afghanistan are among the countries where such a large number of Pakistanis are imprisoned. Last year in August, the Senate was informed that a holistic approach will be adopted to provide full legal and humanitarian assistance to the Pakistani prisoners languishing in foreign jails. Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari had told the House during question hours that consular services of Pakistani missions abroad will be upgraded for this purpose. She said a policy decision will also be taken to get in touch with different countries for repatriation of Pakistani prisoners.