The government decided on Friday a framework for the repatriation of foreign nationals who have served out their prison sentences in Pakistani jails.

Sources privy to the matter said that prisoners with mental disabilities would be shifted to shelter homes in the first phase before deporting them to their countries of origin.

The government will also contact to the prisoners’ countries of origin to make the deportation process smooth.

They said that National Registration and Database Authority (NADRA) has prepared Alien Registration Cards (ARC) for 20 prisoners, including four Indian prisoners.

The interior ministry, on the direction of Federal Review Board (FRB), has prepared the proposal, stating that steps may be undertaken to issue ACR at the earliest once the detention is over.

The statement said that the ACR would be prepared after obtaining the biometric data of the individual from inside the jail, and that their well-being should be ensured through social welfare and health departments.

The decision regarding the deportation of foreign prisoners was taken in a meeting of the ministry of interior that took place a day earlier.

The review board, in its last meeting on September 12, had noted that a number of extensions were granted to the ministries concerned for making arrangements of deportation of the prisoners to their countries of origin but to no avail.