ISLAMABAD, Jan 27: The return of 32 Pakistanis, five women among them, at present languishing in various Indian jails has been put on hold because of tensions between India and Pakistan, Dawn has learnt on authority.

All of them hail from Karachi. They would now have to wait till the two countries lower temperatures.

A joint judicial committee of the two countries, in its preliminary meeting held in February last year, had agreed to ensure humane treatment and speedy release of Indian and Pakistani prisoners detained in each other’s countries.

Members of the committee visited Pakistani jails in June and then Indian prisons to ensure timely release of prisoners who had completed their sentences.

However, the current tension has put the entire process on hold.

According to official documents, 32 Pakistanis hailing from Karachi are at present under the custody of Indian authorities. Consular access is awaited. The documents do not give information about reasons for their detention.

Two of these prisoners -- Naseer Ahmed, son of Sheikh Alamgir, and Dr Saiyyad Muhammad Khaleel Chishty are waiting for consular access since 1971 and 1992 respectively.

Mr Mukhtar Ahmed, son of Salman Ahmed, and Mr Saeed Ahmed Desai have been detained in India for more than a decade in the presidency jail, Kolkata, and Yeroda Central Jail, Pune.

Others awaiting consular access in Indian jails include Mr Asif Raees, son of Muhammad Rafique; Mr Muhammad Muzaffar Khan, son of Mukdar Khan (Delhi’s Tihar jail); Mr Muhammad Arif, son of Wali Muhammad (Daryaganj police station, Delhi); Syed Abbas Mehdi, Javed Akhtar, Muhammad Tallubdin, Batool Fatima, Naheed Fatima, Muhammad Ramzan, Mr Muhammad Habib (Paharganj police station, Delhi); Muhammad Arif Rajput, son of Aleemuddin (Kot Bhalwal central jail); Fareed Ahmad, son of Zaheeruddin (Bhopal’s cental jail); Halim Ahmed, son of Alim Ahmed (Kotwali Bhind police station, MP); Syed Sohail Anwar; Syed Misbahul Haq; Syed Razaul Huda, Ms Hajra Muhammad, wife of Saddique Surti; Mr Muhammad Hanif, son of Fateh Muhammad Khan; Fatima, Mr Ahmad, husband of Seema Fatima; Munir Hussein Haladar, son of Mohammad Hashim Haladar; Zeshan Alam, son of Muhammad Alam Khan (Pathankot jail); Dr Iqrarul Haq, Mr Shakir Hussain, son of Jamaluddin; Mr Mukhtar, son of Sh Muhammad Rasool (Barabanki jail, UP); Muhammad Anwar, son of Muhammad Khan (Rajasthan jail); Nazma Nikhat, wife of Syed Sibte Anwar (Satti police station, Kanpur); and Wahid Khan, son of Hameed Khan (Kutiala jail, Rajathan).Foreign office spokesperson Muhammad Sadiq said a joint judicial committee was exploring timely repatriation of these Pakistanis.

“I believe ongoing tension between India and Pakistan in the wake of Mumbai attacks should not adversely affect other diplomatic channels which do not come under the realm of composite dialogue,” the spokesperson said.

India put the composite dialogue process on hold, asking Pakistan to take action against terrorists involved in the Mumbai attacks of Nov 26.