The Interior Minister says Saudi Arabia is also ready for the return of Pakistanis imprisoned for serious crimes.
ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-May 10th, 2021) Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said 1,100 Pakistani prisoners would return to Pakistan after agreements with Saudi Arabia.
Rashid said the agreements were signed during Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to the Kingdom over the weekend.
The Interior Minister said that Saudi Arabia was also ready for the return of Pakistanis imprisoned for serious crimes. He expressed these words while talking on a local tv channel.
“These prisoners have served large part of their sentence,” said Sheikh Rashid Ahmed.
He said that if Rs1 billion of aid was received, hundreds of more prisoners who had to pay small fines could be released from Saudi jails, but serious cases would be dealt with separately.
The whole process of return of prisoners had been completed, said the Interior minister, pointing out that 30 Pakistanis were imprisoned for murder and drug offences and could not be released. Sheikh Rashid said that these 30 Pakistani prisoners were sentenced to death by Saudi court.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia agreed on transfer of convicted prisoners during Prime Minister Imran Khan’s three-day visit to Saudi Arabia.
The announcement was made in a joint statement released late on Saturday during the visit of the premier from Friday to Sunday.
Both sides signed memoranda of understanding on the establishment of the Saudi-Pakistan Supreme Coordination Council (SPSCC), 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.
