ISLAMABAD, Jan 13: The Afghan government has released 100 Pakistani prisoners on reciprocal basis, interior minister Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat told reporters at a function held at the Convention Centre here on Tuesday.

The minister said the Afghan government had announced the decision for the release of Pakistani prisoners on Monday during Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali's visit to Kabul.

Pakistani authorities, the minister said, had already released an equal number of Afghan prisoners a couple of days ago. Responding to a question, the minister said at present about 1,000 Pakistanis were in Afghan jails and they would be repatriated on reciprocal basis.

He said Pakistan and Afghanistan had discussed the issue of releasing all prisoners during the prime minister's visit to Kabul. About Wana operation, the interior minister denied the possibility of Osama bin Laden's presence in the tribal areas of the country. He said about two dozen suspects had been arrested during the operation jointly conducted by the Pakistan army and civil armed forces.

"Such operations have been carried out in the tribal areas for the last two years but they are intensified on fresh information about the presence of terrorists," he added.

In reply to a question about assassination attempt on President Musharraf's life he said people from inside the country were involved in the attacks. When asked about missing Punjab Minister for Sports Naeem Shahani, the minister said Mr Shahani's whereabouts were still unknown.