3,400 Pakistanis languishing in Saudi jails, Qureshi tells NA
- By Web Desk -
- Apr 24, 2019
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Wednesday told a National Assembly session that 3,400 Pakistanis are imprisoned in Saudi jails.
The minister submitted a written reply in the assembly, stating the number of prisoners in jails of the Kingdom as per the information received by the Saudi officials.
Qureshi further apprised that the Pakistani embassy in Saudi Arabia is working on the release of 2,107 inmates in accordance with the order given by Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman during his visit to Pakistan.
Few days earlier, Pakistan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia Raja Ali Ejaz said that the nation may receive a “good news” in the month of Ramadan about the repatriation of Pakistani prisoners from Saudi jails.
“The Saudi crown prince’s announcement on release of Pakistanis in Saudi jails is under process and in the holy month of Ramazan, we expect some good news regarding this announcement,” the ambassador said.
“Discussion on the transfer of prisoners agreement is in process and once the agreement is signed, the prisoners will be able to complete their sentences in their respective countries,” he added.
A royal decree was issued on Feb 19, ordering the release of as many as 2107 Pakistani prisoners languishing in the prisons of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on a request by Prime Minister Imran Khan during the former’s two-day visit of Islamabad.