Pak ambassador in KSA Lt Gen (R) Bilal says arrangements being made for repatriation of 65 Pak prisoners earlier released from Saudi jails after Pak embassy paid their outstanding fine amount
ISLAMABAD – The Pakistan embassy in Saudi Arabia with the help of Saudi authorities has conducted a survey of Pakistani prisoners in Saudi jails and detected 23 Pakistani women prisoners in various Saudi jails.
“After detection of these Pakistani women prisoners languishing in Saudi jails, Pakistani embassy took up the matter at the highest level with the Saudi authorities for their repatriation to Pakistan on humanitarian grounds, which the Saudi government accepted”, Pakistan Ambassador to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Lt Gen (R) Bilal Akbar told The Nation on phone from Riyadh.
He said two women have been released immediately by Saudi authorities on the request of Pakistan embassy as they accompanied children with them in the jail.
When asked about the nature of crime, the ambassador said these women are in jail on charges of narcotics smuggling which is a serious crime, but the Saudi authorities have agreed to repatriate them to Pakistan, which, he said, is indeed a significant breakthrough.
Ambassador Bilal Akbar said arrangements are being made for repatriation of 65 Pakistanis released by the Saudi authorities this week from various prisons after Pakistani embassy paid their outstanding fine amount.
“After issuing them temporary travel documents these Pakistanis would be able to travel to Pakistan next week”, Bilal Akbar said.
Ambassador Akbar said twenty to twenty five more Pakistanis are expected to be released next week.
“There are one three thousand two hundred and eighty four total Pakistani prisoners in Saudi jails out of which one thousand one hundred Pakistanis who are in jails would be repatriated to Pakistan in phases, they would complete their remaining sentence,” Ambassador Bilal Akbar said.
He said those Pakistanis who are involved in drug smuggling and other serious crimes are not being released by Saudi authorities.
The ambassador in response to a question said acceptance of Chinese vaccine is under strong consideration of the Saudi government, as their experts have visited laboratories in China and found the standards satisfactory, so if Chinese vaccine is finally accepted by KSA it would be a big relief for Pakistani workers coming from Pakistan to KSA.
Source: The Nation