Islamabad, The Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights, chaired by Senator Walid Iqbal, convened at Parliament House on Tuesday to address the critical issue of Pakistani citizens detained or imprisoned abroad, the lack of a Uniform Consular Protection Policy, and other human rights concerns. The meeting highlighted the plight of 23,456 Pakistani detainees in foreign prisons, the need for policy formulation, and the status of prisoner repatriation efforts, including those initiated by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

According to Senate of Pakistan, the Committee discussed various subjects, including the high number of Pakistanis detained abroad, with detailed figures provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The discussions also covered the urgent need for a Uniform Consular Protection Policy, as directed by the Lahore High Court’s Chief Justice Mansoor Ali Shah in 2017, which has yet to be implemented. The Committee has given MOFA a 90-day deadline to formulate and seek government approval for this policy.

The meeting further explored the execution of Prisoner Transfer Agreements with eleven countries, the status of women prisoners in accordance with the Bangkok Rules, and upcoming reports on Pakistan’s adherence to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Additionally, the Committee addressed individual cases of concern, such as Mr. Muhammad Ilyas Ghumman’s situation and the public petition for raising the marriage age for girls to 18 years across various regions of Pakistan.

The Committee’s deliberations underscored the government’s commitment to protecting the rights of Pakistani citizens at home and abroad, with a focus on improving the conditions of detainees, ensuring gender equality, and addressing legislative gaps in human rights protection. The meeting was attended by notable senators, the Caretaker Federal Minister for Human Rights, senior officials from the Ministries of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, and the Chairperson of the National Commission on the Status of Women.