Saudi crown prince orders immediate release of 2,107 Pakistani prisoners

ISLAMABAD: In a major development, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has ordered the immediate release of 2,107 Pakistani prisoners in Saudi jails, ARY News reported.

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry in his message on Twitter, said, “As a sequel to Prime Minister of Pakistan request, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of KSA Mohammad Bin Salman has ordered the immediate release of 2107 Pakistani prisoners Saudi Jails.”

As a sequel to Prime Minister of Pakistan request, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of KSA Mohammad Bin Salman has ordered the immediate release of 2107 Pakistani prisoners Saudi Jails. #CrownPrinceinPakisatan #KSAPakistanNewEra

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) February 18, 2019

 Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in his tweet also welcomed the move of the crown prince and wrote, “HRH Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has graciously agreed to free 2107 Pakistanis with immediate effect, while rest of the case will be reviewed later,”

HRH Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman has graciously agreed to free 2107 Pakistani prisoners in Saudi Arabia with immediate effect. Cases of the remaining will be reviewed. People of Pakistan thank HRH for responding immediately to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s request.

— Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) February 18, 2019

Yesterday, during a grand ceremony in the honour of the royal guest at the Prime Minister House, Premier Imran Khan while addressing to Prince Muhammad had said, 2.5 million Pakistanis reside in Saudi Arabia for work purposes, whereas 3000 Pakistanis are imprisoned in Saudi jails for petty crimes.

“We request you to please work for the release of Pakistani prisoners who are jailed in Saudi Arabia for minor crimes”, said the premier.

On this, the crown prince assured PM Khan of his full cooperation.