ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs was briefed on Friday about an electronic system established with the European Union, allowing Islamabad to receive immediate notifications whenever a Pakistani citizen is arrested in a European country.

During the meeting, chaired by Irfan Siddiqui, the foreign secretary emphasized the government’s commitment to the welfare of overseas Pakistanis. Special instructions had been issued to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in this regard.

At the meeting’s outset, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman expressed concerns over the absence of critical foreign policy issues on the agenda, including Afghanistan.

The committee was also briefed on the status of Pakistani prisoners abroad. Officials revealed that 22,100 Pakistanis are currently imprisoned globally, with the largest numbers in Saudi Arabia (10,400) and the UAE (over 5,000).

Additionally, the committee discussed media reports about India’s desire to review the Indus Waters Treaty. Rehman warned that reopening the treaty could be harmful to Pakistan, noting that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had previously used water as a political tool.

The committee also addressed a recent incident involving the Afghan Consul General, who allegedly disrespected Pakistan’s national anthem. The foreign secretary informed the committee that Pakistan had lodged a formal protest, summoning the Afghan chargé d’affaires and filing a complaint through its embassy in Kabul.