A group of Pakistani nationals who are in Sri Lankan prisons for various drug related offences are to be handed over to Pakistani prison officers at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).

Commissioner General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya stated that 44 Pakistani prisoners will be handed over to prison officers from their country at the BIA tomorrow (03).

The prisoners are expected to complete lengthy prison sentences for drug-related offenses in their home country close to family and friends, in accordance with a 2004 agreement on the transfer of offenders between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Transfers are allowed in cases where sentences exceed a minimum of six months, the agreement states. 

Pakistani media last week reported that the country will be sending a plane to bring back Pakistani prisoners from Sri Lanka.

The decision had been reached during a meeting summoned by Pakistan’s Interior Ministry to discuss the matter pertaining to the repatriation of Pakistani prisoners from Sri Lanka.

Pakistani authorities have worked to bring back Pakistani prisoners stranded abroad and in a similar successful effort, at least 250 Pakistani inmates arrived at Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore from Malaysia on board a Malaysian airline flight in May this year.

All the prisoners were shifted to quarantine facilities after screening for the novel coronavirus at the airport.