ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed has revealed that Saudi Arabia will soon return 1,100 Pakistani prisoners who are languishing in prisons in the Kingdom.
The decision was made after an agreement was reached with Saudi Arabia during Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Saudi Arabia over the weekend.
While speaking to a private channel, Rasheed claimed that Saudi Arabia is also willing to return Pakistanis imprisoned for serious crimes who have already served a large part of their sentence.
He said that hundreds of more prisoners who have to pay small fines can be released from Saudi jails if Rs1 billion aid is received, but serious cases will be dealt with separately.
He added that the whole process of return of prisoners has been completed. He revealed that 30 Pakistanis imprisoned for murder and drug offences cannot be released as they have been sentenced to death by a Saudi court.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement on the transfer of convicted prisoners during Prime Minister Imran Khan’s three-day visit to Saudi Arabia.
The two countries also signed memoranda of understanding on the establishment of the Saudi-Pakistan Supreme Coordination Council (SPSCC) which will be headed by the foreign ministers of both countries.
Both also signed agreements on combating illicit traffic in drugs, financing of projects in energy, hydropower generation, infrastructure, transport and communication, and water resource development; and also inked a cooperation agreement in combating crimes.
