‘66 Pakistanis executed in Saudi Arabia since 2013’

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Foreign Affairs Khawaja Asif apprised the Senate on Wednesday that as many as 66 Pakistanis executed in Saudi Arabia since 2013.

Replying to various questions during question hour in the upper house, the minister said there were 1,357 and 1,580 Pakistani prisoners languishing in Riyadh and Jeddah regions of Saudi Arabia, respectively.

He said the main charges against them were drugs related, bringing un-prescribed tranquilizer tablets, theft, forgery, immoral crimes, murder, rape, and brawl / fighting.

He said as per local regulations, practicing Saudi lawyers were permitted to appear in the local courts.

As many as 66 Pakistanis have been executed in Saudi Arabia since 2013. The main crimes committed by such individuals were drug related crimes, rape and murder, he said.

Asif said our diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia provided consular access to all the Pakistani prisoners in Saudi jails. However, legal services provided by our missions were restricted to translation, facilitation in preparation of cases and persuasion with various agencies etc, he further said.

To another question, the foreign minister said that the government was ready to make proper arrangements with other countries to address the issues of Pakistani prisoners. He said proposal had been sent to India to relax maximum and minimum age from 70 to 60 and from 18-16 respectively for exchange of prisoners between the two countries.