Indian national Ram Prakash, freed after serving a 10-year prison term in Pakistan on charges of spying, was on Tuesday sent back to jail after Indian authorities at the Wagah border refused to accept him for 'not possessing valid travel documents'.
Prakash, 51, was set free from Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore [Images] today morning. The interior ministry on Monday ordered his release after he completed his prison term.
Jail officials took Prakash to the Wagah land border to hand him over to Indian authorities, who refused to accept him, Dawn News channel reported.
He was then sent back to Kot Lakhpat jail.
According to Prakash, the Indian High Commission in Islamabad did not send his documents to the Indian authorities at Wagah and he was forced to return to the jail.
Officials in the High Commission claimed that they had not been officially informed by Pakistani authorities about Prakash's release. As a result, travel documents had not been prepared or provided to Prakash, they said.
In May, Pakistan had released 99 Indian prisoners, including 96 fishermen, as a goodwill gesture during External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee's visit to the country.
© Copyright 2008 PTI. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of PTI content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent.
|