Pakistani national returns home after nearly 18 years in Indian jail

LAHORE:

A Pakistani national has returned home after spending nearly 18 years in an Indian prison, the Pakistan High Commission in India shared on X.

Muhammad Shahid Iqbal Bhatti, a resident of Kasur, arrived at the Wagah-Attari border, where he was received by officials following his release from custody in India. Bhatti was detained in 2008 after entering India via Nepal in 2005 and remained incarcerated until his recent repatriation.

The commission said its sustained efforts secured Bhatti’s release and return. Security officials said that Bhatti will undergo routine checks before being handed over to his family. The mission reaffirmed that it will continue to work for the release and return of other Pakistani prisoners lodged abroad.

Pakistan and India exchange lists of prisoners and fishermen held in each other’s custody twice a year—on January 1 and July 1—under the 2008 Agreement on Consular Access.

According to the list exchanged on January 1 of this year, 424 Pakistani nationals, including 391 civilians and 33 fishermen, remain in Indian jails. In return, Pakistan’s list submitted to India included 257 Indian prisoners, comprising 58 civilians and 199 fishermen held in Pakistani prisons.

The prisoner list exchange allows both countries to monitor detention cases, arrange consular access, and pursue repatriation of individuals who have completed their sentences. Although the Wagah-Attari border is generally closed due to bilateral tensions, it is occasionally opened for humanitarian transfers, such as prisoner repatriations.

Bhatti’s return follows this established process and highlights ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve long-standing cases of foreign detainees in both countries.