Over 2,000 Pakistani prisoners released in KSA

World Monday 18/February/2019 13:19 PM
By: Times News Service
Over 2,000 Pakistani prisoners released in KSA

Muscat: Over 2,000 Pakistani prisoners in Saudi Arabia are set to be released following a request from Prime Minister Imran Khan, the country's Minister of Information confirmed.

The move was announced during Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud's visit to the South Asian country.

Minister Fawad Chaudhry said, "On the Prime Minister of Pakistan's request, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammad bin Salman has ordered the immediate release of 2107 Pakistani prisoners from Saudi jails."

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahood Qureshi added, "Cases of the remaining (prisoners) will be reviewed. The people of Pakistan thank His Royal Highness for responding immediately to Prime Minister Imran Khan's request."

The prince was warmly received in Pakistan, where he was given a guard of honour on his arrival.
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"Pakistan is an important friendly country to Saudi Arabia and the brotherhood between both countries will be further improved in coming days," said the Saudi leader, before announcing the first phase of the kingdom's $20 billion investments in the country.

In response to Prime Minister Khan’s request for Saudi Arabia to treat Pakistani Labourers as their own people, the Saudi prince stated, “Consider me an ambassador of Pakistan in Saudi Arabia”.

Seven agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed as part of the visit, the Kingdom's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed. They include MoUs on the finance and provision of crude oil and petroleum products, the financing of electricity generation projects, as well as those related to mineral wealth and renewable energy projects.

A number of high-profile meetings were also held by officials from both country's including Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al Jubeir and Qureshi.

According to Saudi authorities, the trade exchange between the two countries stood at $38.9 billion over the past 10 years. Exports from the Kingdom to Pakistan during that period stood at $34.9 billion. Additionally, in the last decade, the Gulf state imported $4 billion worth of goods from from the nuclear-armed country.