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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has revealed startling figures regarding the number of Pakistani prisoners incarcerated in foreign jails, presenting the data to the Senate.
The ministry acknowledged the difficulty in determining the precise number due to the constant influx of new prisoners and the release of others through pardons or deportations.
According to MoFA, approximately 23,456 Pakistanis are currently imprisoned in various countries worldwide. The highest number is in the Gulf states, with Saudi Arabia alone holding 12,156 Pakistani prisoners.
Other significant numbers include 5,292 in the United Arab Emirates, 811 in Greece, and 338 in Qatar.
MoFA further stated that it is actively collecting data from all its missions and sub-missions covering the past ten years.
The Senate also received details regarding the release of Pakistani prisoners following Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Pakistan. MoFA reported that between 2019 and 2024, a total of 7,208 Pakistani prisoners were released.
The yearly breakdown shows 545 releases in 2019, 892 in 2020, 916 in 2021, 1,331 in 2022, 1,394 in 2023, and a significant 2,130 releases from Saudi Arabian prisons in 2024 alone.