Islamabad:Justice Project Pakistan (JPP), with the support of the High Commission of Canada and in collaboration with the Parliamentarians Commission for Human Rights, launched Detained Abroad, a regional registry documenting the rights and legal protections available to foreign nationals imprisoned across the Indo-Pacific.
The platform was unveiled during a special ceremony, with representatives and consular officials from diplomatic missions, government ministries, national human rights institutions, civil society organisations, UN agencies and legal practitioners in attendance.
The event opened with welcome remarks by Tariq Ali Khan, High Commissioner of Canada to Pakistan, followed by a presentation introducing Detained Abroad, providing an overview of the registry and its practical use for consular officials, lawyers and civil society organisations responding to detention cases. Remarks were also delivered by MNA Ilyas Chaudhary.
A consultation session followed, bringing together civil society organisations, government officials, and ambassadors, including the Ambassador of Portugal to Pakistan, to discuss how improved legal resources and stronger coordination between legal, diplomatic, and civil society actors can reduce the risks faced by foreign nationals in detention.
The high commissioner of Canada said the government of Canada supported the launch of the registry, the first of its kind, to help safeguard the rights and legal protections of Canadians, Pakistanis, and other nationals detained in the Indo-Pacific.
As of April 2024, at least 1,107 foreign nationals were incarcerated in prisons across Pakistan, highlighting a significant but often overlooked human rights concern. Afghan nationals make up the majority at 64% (703 prisoners).
These figures underscore the urgent need for stronger legal safeguards, timely consular access, and improved protections for foreign detainees in Pakistan. Haris Zaki, Advocacy Lead at Justice Project Pakistan, said: “Foreign nationals detained abroad often face unfamiliar legal systems, language barriers and limited access to legal representation or consular support. Detained Abroad provides accessible legal information that can help practitioners, families and advocates navigate these systems and better protect detainees’ rights.”
Developed through extensive research and consultations with legal practitioners, NGOs and UN agencies across the region, Detained Abroad aims to strengthen legal defence strategies, improve consular engagement and support more coordinated responses to cases involving foreign nationals in detention.
