43 Pakistani prisoners convicted of drug offences in Sri Lanka were deported from the Katunayake International Airport to Islamabad on a special flight this morning at the request of the government of Pakistani, an airport official said.

They are Pakistani nationals who have been convicted by Sri Lankan high courts and held in various prisons for 10 to 15 years and will be re-admitted to Pakistani prisons after being taken to Pakistan, the airport official said. said.

The Pakistani government had sent a special Pakistan Airlines flight with 86 security personnel, two per prisoner, to the Katunayake airport at around 10.50 last night (03) to take them away.

The Pakistani nationals were brought to the Katunayake airport by several buses belonging to the Sri Lanka Prisons Department. The process was carried out under the supervision of officials of the Pakistani High Commission in Sri Lanka.