Abu Dhabi, January 15: Pakistani Ambassador to the UAE Jamil Ahmed Khan has promised to request his country to organise workshops on the criminal and civil laws of the emirates with stress on financial laws for those planning to come here for work before their arrival. This would help them understand the situation here and live accordingly.
He was speaking after his recent visit to the General Department of Punitive and Corrective Department of the Dubai Police.
During his visit, the Ambassador met Pakistani prisoners serving jail terms for various charges. He acknowledged that the prison system and the services provided are among the best and comparable to international levels. They reflect human values which provide care to people and will help rehabilitate prisoners so that they can positively integrate into society when released.
He added that this was his first visit to the jail and that he had done so as per the Pakistan government’s instructions. He was looking forward to meeting other Pakistani prisoners in the UAE, he said.
According to him, the total number of Pakistani prisoners in the UAE reached 1,170 males of which 310 are in Abu Dhabi and 860 are in Dubai. The number of women prisoners was 14. The Ambassador said that the jail terms of the Pakistani inmates varied from two months to 20 years. Majority of the jail terms were for short periods because they were convicted for minor charges, most of which are financial obligations such as non-repayment of bank loans and traffic accidents, he added.
He said such cases were ordinary and that the number of people involved in such cases was not much when compared to the total number of Pakistanis who worked in the UAE.
He pointed out that Pakistan and the UAE would sign a treaty on prisoner transfer soon. The treaty aims at allowing Pakistani prisoners convicted by UAE courts to serve the remaining period in jails in their own country, closer to their families who can visit them. According to him, the treaty is being reviewed by the security officials of the two countries and will be signed soon. However, details of the treaty will be clear only after it is signed, he said.
He stressed that the Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate in Dubai were providing tickets and the travel documents free of charge if the need arose.
Regarding cooperation with UAE security authorities to combat drugs, the Pakistani Ambassador said his country was facing challenges to combat drugs cultivation and trafficking as Pakistan was part of the Asian golden triangle for drug cultivation which include Iran and Afghanistan.
–Agencies–