Pakistan, UK sign prisoner transfer deal

ISLAMABAD: The United Kingdom and Pakistan signed a prisoner transfer treaty here on Thursday, ARY News reported.

Pakistan’s Secretary for Interior Maj (retd) Azam Suleman Khan and British High Commissioner in Islamabad Thomas Drew signed the United Kingdom-Pakistan Prisoner Transfer Agreement in Islamabad.

The prisoners’ transfer deal between the two countries was in principle approved during recent Pakistan visit of British Home Secretary Sajid Javid updating a previous treaty between the two countries.

The agreement facilitates a foreign prisoner in both countries to serve their sentences closer to their home.

Ambassador Drew commenting on the agreement called a testament to the strength of relationship between the two countries.

According to sources at British High Commission, the agreement includes assurances that all transferred prisoners will serve their sentences before being released from prison.

It also allows inmates to prepare for reintegration into their home communities when they are eventually released from prison.

Pakistan’s new government also making efforts to sign an extradition treaty with the UK and if it succeeds in signing this accord, it would join 105 countries that have such agreements with the United Kingdom.