2 Pak Men Remain In Telangana Jails After Home Country Refuses To Take Them

Two Pakistani nationals, who completed their prison terms, are under detention in Telangana jails for several years pending their deportation, as the neighbouring country has refused to accept them as citizens, officials said on Wednesday.

Sher Ali Keshwani, 72, has been under detention in Cherlapally Central Prison since 2015 after his acquittal in an espionage case in Hyderabad.

Although he was convicted in another case in Uttar Pradesh and completed his sentence in 2014, he was brought to Hyderabad from Agra prison by local police.

Similarly, another Pakistani national, Mohd Nazeer, in his mid-50s, who also completed his sentence, has been under detention in Chanchalguda Central Prison since 2018. Nazeer, who entered India via Nepal, was remanded in December 2013 and sentenced to five years by a local court on charges of fraudulently practising traditional medicine in Hyderabad.

He completed his sentence in December 2018.

To facilitate the deportation of the two Pakistani nationals, Telangana prison authorities arranged consular access through the Pakistan Embassy, but it has not recognised them as its citizens, the officials said.

"Their sentences are actually over. They were sent to Tihar Jail (Delhi) for consular access, but Pakistan is not admitting them as their citizens. As per the state government's order, they will remain under detention until their deportation," a senior Telangana Prisons official told PTI.

According to regulations, once a foreign national's sentence is completed, they must be deported to their native country after being handed over to the respective embassy, officials said.

"However, the issue with these two (Pakistani) prisoners has been ongoing for years. Pakistan is not accepting them as nationals, so they remain in detention in state jails," another Telangana Prisons department official said.

Since Telangana lacks detention centres, the state government has ordered that they remain in jail until their deportation, the official added.

Meanwhile, four Pakistani citizens, who were staying in Hyderabad on short-term visas, have left India following a directive from the Centre after the Pahalgam terror attack, police said on Wednesday.

Police earlier reported that over 200 Pakistani nationals were staying in Telangana, mostly in Hyderabad, with 190 on long-term Indian visas.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on April 25, called the chief ministers of all states and instructed them to ensure no Pakistani nationals remain in India beyond the deadline set for departure.

On April 22, terrorists opened fire at Kashmir's Pahalgam, killing 26 people, mostly tourists, and injuring several others.

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