Only 27 Pakistanis arrested in Iraq, interior ministry officials tell Senate body

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, chaired by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, on Tuesday dismissed recent claims about 40,000 Pakistani pilgrims disappearing in Iraq, declaring the matter a myth.

Officials from the Ministry of Interior briefed the committee that only 27 Pakistanis were apprehended in Iraq, while a total of 30 out of 81 Pakistanis remain under trial. Ministry officials assured him the matter would be taken up at the highest level.

Member Committee Raja Nasir Abbas informed the committee that he personally raised the issue with the Iraqi leadership. “I met the Prime Minister of Iraq, and he called it wrong. I also spoke to the Minister of Religious Affairs of Pakistan, who confirmed it was a mistake,” Senator Abbas clarified.

Raja Nasir Abbas criticized the mistreatment of Pakistani citizens abroad. “The passports of Pakistanis are kept at airports in various countries, including Iraq. This is a great insult to Pakistani citizens, and the government must take notice. Such treatment is not even meted out to Afghan citizens,” he remarked.

The committee was further briefed on the status of Pakistani prisoners abroad. Ministry of Interior officials revealed that 21,647 Pakistanis are imprisoned in different countries, with more than 13,000 under trial and over 8,000 convicted.

Khanzada noted the urgency of the situation and called for institutional coordination. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed the committee that after the committee meeting, it has decided to form an inter-ministerial committee on prisoners, which will include ambassadors and officials from relevant ministries. Letters have already been sent to all Pakistani embassies and missions worldwide.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the initiative will proceed in phases:

• Phase One: Meetings with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

  • Phase Two: Engagement with Malaysia, Indonesia, and Australia.

  • Phase Three: Consultations with the United Kingdom and European Union countries.

The committee was informed that Community Welfare Attachés have begun visiting prisons abroad to meet Pakistani detainees. However, Senator Nasir Butt pinpointed the gaps, saying, “No one visits Pakistanis languishing in jails in other countries.” Officials responded that such visits have only recently started.

Khanzada directed the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis to present a detailed report on the funds allocated for legal and welfare support to Pakistanis jailed abroad in the next meeting. “This is the first initiative for details of funds and expenditure, and it must be provided,” he emphasized.

On migration issues, officials revealed that there are 294 legal avenues for Pakistanis to travel to European Union countries, with student visas given priority. They noted that nearly 50 percent of Pakistanis going to Italy travel legally, while 50 percent resort to illegal routes.

The committee expressed grave concern over reports that many citizens pay as much as Rs 7 million to leave Pakistan illegally. “We must improve the system,” committee members urged, while highlighting that “educated youth going abroad are running businesses and contributing significantly.”

The chairman of the committee also inquired about the arrangements made for Pakistanis to learn the Russian language for obtaining Belarus visas. The Committee was informed that an agreement will be finalised with the Allama Iqbal Open University through which applicants will be able to take an online course to learn the Russian language.

Earlier, Senator Shahadat Awan, also recommended giving details on people convicted of smuggling. He said it is seen that 65 percent of cases are those related to drugs and called a detailed briefing on the smuggling of drugs and other similar cases.

Senator Shahdat Awan also sought details on special courts across the country established for overseas Pakistanis in a subsequent meeting

The meeting also marked the participation of PTI’s newly elected Senator Faisal Javed, who put forward his recommendations to brief on the Human Resource Development in the country and abroad in the subsequent meetings.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025