Islamabad: Pakistan has adopted a Law allowing mutual transfer of convicts between Islamabad and other countries.

The Law titled the "Transfer of offenders ordinance, 2000" entitles Pakistan to enter into prisoner exchange agreements with other governments and repatriate foreigners serving prison sentences in the country.

According to the Ordinance, the convicts have to make a formal request to the respective governments for their repatriation to their home countries where they would serve remaining part of their sentences.

Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider told reporters in Karachi that the government was considering the applications of all Pakistanis serving jail terms in other countries.

"We want to facilitate them to serve their remaining terms at jails near their homes in our country," Haider said.

He said several applications were already pending with his ministry in this regard. "If they (Pakistani prisoners) request us, their applications will definitely be considered on humanitarian grounds."

The Ordinance followed the visit of an official delegation to Guantanmo Bay in the United States to meet over 40 Pakistani associates of al-Qaida who have been imprisoned.

A large number of Pakistanis have been lodged in jails in different countries. These include people arrested in US after September 11 for investigations, Pakistani supporters of Taleban and al-Qaida, who went to Afghanistan to fight along with the two outfits held in different prisons by the current Afghan regime and several Pakistani fishermen held in India on various charges.

PTI