Long wait for Pakistani's freedom from jail

HYDERABAD: At a time when Indian national Hamid Ansari is languishing in Pakistani jail, despite serving his imprisonment tenure, Telangana government is making arrangements to give consular access to a Pakistani, who completed his life imprisonment of 14 years in jail, and send him back to Pakistan.

Mohammed Arshad Mahamood, who was caught in 2004 by Abids police for taking photographs of vital installations, underwent 14 years of imprisonment at Warangal prison.

Jail authorities in a petition requested the court to direct police to take him into custody for deportation as per rules.

However, Hyderabad Police commissioner M Mahendar Reddy requested the government to detain Mahamood, till arrangements of consular access to initiate deportation procedure is completed.

In accordance with existing procedure for deportation of Pakistani prisoners, he should be first provided with consular access to establish his identity, Reddy said.

"Once his identity is established by the Pakistani government, he would be issued one way travel document by Pakistani High Commission. Hence the prisoner must be sent to consular access. The government of Telangana have decided to detain Mahamood in Warangal prison till his deportation orders are issued," law department secretary A Santhosh Reddy said.

Mahamood belongs to Jethabhuta Bazaar, Khanpur in Pakistan.

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