Saudi Arabia releases 579 Pakistani prisoners

Saudi Arabia has released 579 Pakistani prisoners under royal clemency, a Parliamentary body here was informed.

"Representatives from relevant offices in Pakistan are in touch with the Saudi government over the release of the prisoners," Dawn news quoted Amir Sheikh, Managing Director of the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation, as saying on Thursday.

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development was provided details of the prisoners released for analysis by its members when it met here.

Most of the prisoners were under detention for forgery, drug trafficking, illegal border crossing, theft, picking pockets and bribery. One person was involved in a case of rape.

Most, out of the 579 released, were sentenced to one year to five years in prison for drug trafficking and committing forgeries.

Besides the 579 prisoners, another 3,396 deported from Makkah, Riyadh, Dammam, Tabuk and Jouf to mention some cities, have also been released from the deportation camps since the visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman earlier this year.

The Crown Prince had announced the release of more than 2,000 Pakistani prisoners at the request of Prime Minister Imran Khan during the latter''s visit to the Kingdom in February