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ABU DHABI: Interior Minister A Rehman Malik and Interior Minister of United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Sunday signed agreement on transfer of sentenced prisoners between the two countries.

Under the agreement, Pakistani prisoners/convicts in UAE will have the opportunity to undergo their remaining sentence in Pakistan, says a press release.
The agreement will come into force within two weeks and both the Interior Ministers will work out the transfer plan.

Two years long negotiations have resulted into a final agreement between the Government of the Islamic republic of Pakistan and the Government of the United Arab Emirates which was duly approved by the Pakistani Cabinet, signed in UAE by Minister for Interior, Senator A. Rehman Malik who arrived in UAE Sunday.

Earlier, President Asif Ali Zardari had directed Interior Minister Rehman Malik to work out some ways and legal means for the Pakistani prisoners/convicts in UAE to undergo their remaining sentence in Pakistan.
Pakistani prisoners will get benefit under the transfer of prisoner's agreement.

The families of the prisoners are very happy after this agreement as now they will be able to meet their family members here in Pakistan.

"There are 1,400 Pakistani prisoners in different UAE prisons at the moment.

A complete segregation process would start following the signing ceremony of the agreement and a mechanism for categorising the prisoners would be drawn in accordance with the articles of the agreement," the Pakistan Ambassador to UAE Jamil Khan remarked.

Under the articles of the agreement, the transfer of prisoners would be possible only if at least 6 months of the sentence to be served remain.

Furthermore, the persons convicted in heinous crimes such as crime against state, murder and financial embezzlement shall not be liable to transfer, explained the Ambassador.

The Ambassador added that this would resolve social and emotional problems of Pakistani inmates as they would be sent to Pakistan, preferably closer to their home town, where they would be able to see their loved ones frequently and would have a chance of reintegrating into society. (APP)