PESHAWAR, Dec 5: At least 75 prisoners were released here on Thursday from the central jail, in pursuance of the special remission announced by President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Eidul Fitr.

A jail official said the released prisoners included 18 women, most of whom were having children with them.

Relatives of the prisoners, who were waiting outside the main entrance of the jail, welcomed them and greeted the inmates on their release.

A remission of two years has been extended to the women prisoners who were accompanied by their children and serving sentence for crimes other than culpable homicide or terrorist acts, as defined in the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.

Most of the women released were convicted in narcotics and hudood cases.

According to a notification issued by the interior ministry, the prison officials also released those prisoners who had undergone their sentences and were not able to pay fines of up to Rs20,000.

Some inmates who had attained the age of 65 and had completed one-fourth of their jail terms were also released on Thursday.