Though describing India’s track record on releasing of Pakistani prisoners better than the neighbouring country, the Supreme Court on Wednesday felt that there was still the need for further improvement while directing the government to release forthwith 61 Pakistan nationals whose identity had been fully established.
Besides, the top court directed the government to take up the case of one Abdul Qadir Khwaja with the embassy of Afghanistan after Pakistan had refused to take him claiming that he was not its citizen but was an Afghan national.
Khwaja had served sentence in the Jammu and Kashmir jail after he was caught in the state some years ago.
His name figured in the list of 22 Pakistani nationals declared eligible for release from jails in Jammu and Kashmir after serving their sentences and consequently deported in two phases in groups of 15 and 6 respectively.
While the cause of Pakistani prisoners lodged in different jails in J&K was taken up by Panthers Party president Bhim Singh and the matter relating to 877 other Pak nationals lodged in prisons all over the country, was taken up with the top court by another senior advocate Colin Gonsalves.
Mr Gonsalves said 61 Pakistani prisoners, whose identity had been fully ascertained, were awaiting “special consular assess” from Indian side for a long time.
“The cases of the 61 prisoners will be verified forthwith and after verifying their nationality, they will be released forthwith without waiting for the order of the court,” said a bench of Justices Aftab Alam and R.M. Lodha in an order.