43 Pakistani prisoners in Sri Lanka to return home: Mohsin Naqvi

ISLAMABAD (APP) - Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s success on the diplomatic front will bring 43 Pakistani citizens back to their homes from Sri Lankan jails.

In a high-level meeting on Friday with the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka, Admiral (retd) Ravindra Chandra Srivijay Gunaratne, it was agreed to immediately repatriate 43 Pakistani citizens imprisoned in Sri Lanka. The Ministry of Home Affairs had been working with the Sri Lankan authorities for the past month to bring back these prisoners.

The Sri Lankan high commissioner assured all possible cooperation in this regard. Interior Minister Monsin Naqvi thanked the Sri Lankan high commissioner for his support for the repatriation of the prisoners.

“The arrangements for the return of Pakistani prisoners will be finalised in a few days,” Naqvi said in his statement.

The minister said that relations between Sri Lanka and Pakistan have been going from strength to strength over the past seven decades. He said that Pakistan wants to further develop mutual relations in various fields with Siri Lanka.

In the meeting, it was agreed to take immediate steps to return the prisoners of both countries to their country. Issues of mutual interest and the development of bilateral relations were also discussed in the meeting.

Both sides agreed to increase cooperation in the field of security and counter-narcotics. Earlier, Mohsin Naqvi welcomed the Sri Lankan high commissioner on his arrival at the Ministry of Interior. Federal Secretary Interior Khurram Ali Agha, Chairman NADRA Lt Gen Muhammad Munir Officer and related officers were also present on this occasion.