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Smita Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 22
With the recent release of Hamid Ansari from a Pakistani prison and Imran Warsi and Abdullah from Indian jails, Muhammad Yousaf is hoping he can go back to his family soon.
Yousaf (64), a Pakistani national from Sindh, was arrested in Rajasthan in April 2013 when he travelled to meet some relatives.
Charged with possession of fake currency, Yousaf was lodged in the district jail in Alwar where he completed his sentence in February 2016. Next week it will be three years since Yousaf has been waiting for repatriation to Karachi to unite with his family, specially daughter Shumaila who is critically ill because of renal failure. But Yousaf remains in detention in a makeshift facility in Alwar with no clarity about his fate.
Yousaf was granted consular access on May 21, 2013 and subsequently Pakistani officials identified him as their national. According to Pakistani sources, in December last year Yousaf fell severely ill and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Alwar hospital. However, relatives say they were not allowed to meet him and allege he was discharged from the hospital even before he could recover from his illness.
Indian officials though argue that the case is ‘still under trial In a civilian court under an independent judiciary unlike the farcical military trial in Pakistan’. "He was provided full medical treatment for urinary infection. He is not in ICU as claimed by Pakistan side,” said an Indian official.
Yousaf's family remains in touch with the Indian High Commission in Islamabad while Pakistani authorities claim to have sent some 28 note verbales to the Indian Foreign Ministry on the matter.
"It is inexplicable that an old and severely ill man, having completed his sentence nearly three years ago, should remain incarcerated and not allowed to rejoin his family where his young daughter is fighting for life. No reason on earth can justify this.The situation cries for immediate resolution," a Pakistani official told The Tribune.
Indian officials though counter-argue that Yousaf has been provided timely consular access unlike eight Indian civilians and 92 prisoners in Pakistani custody.
According to lists exchanged on January 1 this year, under standard protocol, there are 537 indian prisoners (54 civil and 483 fishermen) in Pakistani jails. While 249 Pakistani civilian prisoners and 98 fishermen are lodged in Indian jails. According to India, 80 Pakistani prisoners who have completed their sentences await repatriation since their nationality is yet to be confirmed by Islamabad. Both sides have reconstituted the Joint Judicial Committee tasked with looking into the Indo-Pak prionsers' issue and the humanitarian aspects involved.