India&#39;s external affairs ministry said today it is in touch with Pakistan after it refused to remit the sentence of Hamid Nehal Ansari, an Indian national who was sentenced to three years of imprisonment in 2016 by a military court in Pakistan on charges of espionage.

&quot;We are in touch with the Pakistani authorities, will update after any further development,&quot; Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar told ANI.

Hamid Nehal Ansari initially went missing in Pakistan in 2012 after he when he crossed over from Afghanistan. In 2016, he reappeared in the custody of authorities who said he had been convicted of espionage and sentenced to three years imprisonment by a military court in December 2015.

Prison authorities have refused to approve Hamid Nehal Ansari&#39;s plea for remissions in his sentence. The petition filed by him now states that he will complete his term soon and therefore should be set free when that happens. However, jail authorities reject this and claim remission rules do not apply to him, claiming he was charged and convicted for anti-state activities.

A remission or a shortening of a sentence is usually given to prisoners in lieu of good behaviour.&nbsp;

Ansari&rsquo;s petition will be heard on November 1.

His lawyer, Qazi Mohammad Anwar says that since Ansari was not involved in anti-state activity, remission should be granted.

Mr Anwar met Ansari last month at Mardan Central Jail and says the Indian national is in good health and hopeful about justice.

Ansari had come to Pakistan because of a love affair over the Internet.

The girl&#39;s family complained to&nbsp;authorities that he was travelling&nbsp;illegally, leading to his arrest&nbsp;in 2012. However, his arrest was not shown officially until 2016, when the authorities told the courts that he had been tried for espionage at a military court.

A female journalist Zeenat Shahzadi investigating his case in 2015 had also gone missing after she had approached the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances over Hamid&rsquo;s alleged abduction. Her kidnapping&nbsp;took place a few days before she had to appear before the commission in the complaint regarding Mr Ansari. Such disappearances are now a routine in Pakistan.

Zeenat was recently recovered but no one has been accountable for her disappearance. Human rights activist feel it is impossible to punish those responsible.

India's external affairs ministry said today it is in touch with Pakistan after it refused to remit the sentence of Hamid Nehal Ansari

India's external affairs ministry said today it is in touch with Pakistan after it refused to remit the sentence of Hamid Nehal Ansari, an Indian national who was sentenced to three years of imprisonment in 2016 by a military court in Pakistan on charges of espionage. "We are in touch with the Pakistani authorities, will update after any further development," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar told ANI. Hamid Nehal Ansari initially went missing in Pakistan in 2012 after he when he crossed over from Afghanistan. In 2016, he reappeared in the custody of authorities who said he had been convicted of espionage and sentenced to three years imprisonment by a military court in December 2015. Prison authorities have refused to approve Hamid Nehal Ansari's plea for remissions in his sentence. The petition filed by him now states that he will complete his term soon and therefore should be set free when that happens. However, jail authorities reject this and claim remission rules do not apply to him, claiming he was charged and convicted for anti-state activities. A remission or a shortening of a sentence is usually given to prisoners in lieu of good behaviour. Ansari’s petition will be heard on November 1. His lawyer, Qazi Mohammad Anwar says that since Ansari was not involved in anti-state activity, remission should be granted. Mr Anwar met Ansari last month at Mardan Central Jail and says the Indian national is in good health and hopeful about justice. Ansari had come to Pakistan because of a love affair over the Internet. The girl's family complained to authorities that he was travelling illegally, leading to his arrest in 2012. However, his arrest was not shown officially until 2016, when the authorities told the courts that he had been tried for espionage at a military court. A female journalist Zeenat Shahzadi investigating his case in 2015 had also gone missing after she had approached the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances over Hamid’s alleged abduction. Her kidnapping took place a few days before she had to appear before the commission in the complaint regarding Mr Ansari. Such disappearances are now a routine in Pakistan. Zeenat was recently recovered but no one has been accountable for her disappearance. Human rights activist feel it is impossible to punish those responsible.

Pakistan refuses to remit sentence of Indian national trapped in jail

A Pakistani woman journalist, who went missing in Lahore in 2015, has been rescued by security forces.

Officials said that Zeenat Shahzadi was rescued on Wednesday night from near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/senior-pakistani-journalist-barred-from-leaving-country-after-writing-isi-government-showdown-report-7341" target="_blank">Also Read:&nbsp;Senior Pakistani journalist barred from leaving country after writing ISI-government showdown report</a>

The Dawn quoted Justice (Retired) Javed Iqbal, the head of the missing persons&#39; commission, as saying that he was thrilled to confirm Shahzadi&#39;s return.

The officials said non-state actors and enemy agencies had kidnapped her in 2015 and added that tribal elders in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had played an important role in her recovery.

Shahzadi&#39;s family has yet to issue a statement.

Shahzadi, who had spoken up against the disappearance of people, went missing in August 2015 while on the trail of an Indian citizen Hamid Ansari who, it was reported, had been caught by Pakistani agencies.&nbsp;

Zeenat Shahzadi went missing in August 2015

A Pakistani woman journalist, who went missing in Lahore in 2015, has been rescued by security forces. Officials said that Zeenat Shahzadi was rescued on Wednesday night from near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Also Read: Senior Pakistani journalist barred from leaving country after writing ISI-government showdown report The Dawn quoted Justice (Retired) Javed Iqbal, the head of the missing persons' commission, as saying that he was thrilled to confirm Shahzadi's return. The officials said non-state actors and enemy agencies had kidnapped her in 2015 and added that tribal elders in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had played an important role in her recovery. Shahzadi's family has yet to issue a statement. Shahzadi, who had spoken up against the disappearance of people, went missing in August 2015 while on the trail of an Indian citizen Hamid Ansari who, it was reported, had been caught by Pakistani agencies.

Pak journo who went missing on trail of Indian citizen rescued after 2 years

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Pakistan refuses to remit sentence of Indian national trapped in jail

Pak journo who went missing on trail of Indian citizen rescued after 2 years