Pakistan team denied access to inmates in Jaipur prison

A Pakistani delegation that came here to meet prisoners in Jaipur Central Jail was denied access as no official from the union home ministry was travelling with it.

"The incident occurred on February 25 when the delegation came here to meet the Pakistani prisoners. They were denied entry as per protocol that a team of the home ministry has to accompany them, but they (home ministry team) were not able to reach that day," an official of Rajasthan Prisons Department told IANS.

"So, as per rules the Pakistani delegation was not allowed to meet them," he added.

According to an official from the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, "the four-member team had permission from the Ministry of External Affairs to give counsellor access to Pakistani prisoners but they were denied access to the Pakistani prisoners."

The Pakistani High Commission official said there are 25 Pakistani prisoners in Jaipur jail, but a Jaipur Central Jail official said only 11 Pakistani prisoners are lodged there.