Pakistani repatriated from India via Wagah border after spending 17 years in jail

LAHORE: A Pakistani national was repatriated to his home country from India on Tuesday after spending 17 years in jail on charges of spying.

“Muhammad Shahid Iqbal Bhatti, a Pakistani citizen imprisoned in India, was repatriated to Pakistan via the Wagah-Attari border today,” Pakistan’s High Commission in India said in a post on X.

Separately, an official told Dawn that Bhatti was a resident of Kasur and was handed a 17-year sentence by an Indian court after he was accused of spying for Pakistan.

Quoting Indian media reports, he said Bhatti was arrested in August 2008 by police in Indian Punjab. While in custody, he was interrogated for living in India allegedly without legal documents, the official said, adding that the then-chief manager of the State Bank of India had filed a complaint against him in November 2008.

“Subsequently, Bhatti was sentenced by a court and sent to jail on charges of spying. He spent nearly 17 years of his life in prison,” the official said.

He further said that as Bhatti’s prison term was completed, Pakistani and Indian authorities held correspondence for his repatriation. “After the completion of legal formalities, he was escorted to the Wagah border, where he was handed over to Pakistani officials on Tuesday.”

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s High Commission in India expressed its resolve to “continue to work towards the release and repatriation of all Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails”.

Bhatti’s repatriation follows that of another three Pakistani prisoners from India in late November 2025.

Among them, a man identified as Ramzan was arrested in 2010 by India on charges of illegally crossing the border and possessing narcotics. After receiving consular access, his status as a Pakistani national was confirmed in February 2011.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Idrees from Narowal was arrested in 1995 for allegedly crossing the border illegally and was awarded 16 years of imprisonment. He was verified as a Pakistani national in 2005, 10 years after his arrest.

Asghar Ali from Sadiqabad was arrested for allegedly crossing the border illegally in 2002. His status as a Pakistani national was confirmed in 2006.

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