Pakistan discusses Guantanamo prisoners with U.S.: minister

A Pakistani team has held talks with the United States authorities in Washington on consular access to Pakistani prisoners at Guantanamo prison, a Pakistani minister said on Thursday.

Pakistani Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao told reporters in Islamabad that the discussions between Pakistan and the United States were held on Wednesday and Thursday, adding the details about the talks would be made public after the return of the team.

Pakistani authorities have not yet confirmed the number of Pakistani prisoners in the camp.

Sherpao said in June that about 35 Pakistanis were still detained in the Guantanamo Bay. He, however, said that the exact number of Pakistani prisoners was yet to be confirmed.

About 67 Pakistanis have already returned to the country from Guantanamo, officials said.

Reports said that the U.S. authorities had asked Pakistan to keep a vigilant eye on all the prisoners repatriated from the Guantanamo Bay.

Most of these Pakistanis were arrested in Afghanistan in late 2001 and early 2002 after the Taliban government collapsed as the result of U.S. attacks.

Last month, a Pakistani team also visited Bagram, a U.S. base 50 kms north of Kabul, and met Pakistani prisoners there.

Source: Xinhua