MULTAN, Oct 23: As many as 27 prisoners, including two women, were released from south Punjab jails on Monday after payment of their compensations (Diyat) by philanthropists.

Jails DIG Mian Farooq Nazeer told this correspondent that philanthropists paid compensation totalling Rs2.2million following which 27 prisoners, including two women, had been released.

He said now only seven people were imprisoned for non-payment of compensation.

The DIG said two female prisoners were released from Multan women jail, 10 from central jail, seven from Bahawalpur central jail, three from Bahawalnagar and five from Rahim Yar Khan districts jails before Eidul Fitr.

He said the prisoners owed a total of Rs10 million compensation and Rs2.2 million were paid by the philanthropists of Multan.

He said neither a woman nor a child was imprisoned in any jail of Punjab because of non-payment of compensation.

He said four years back the number of such prisoners was in hundreds and now the collected money from the province had touched Rs10 million mark.

He said as many as 47 prisoners from south Punjab jails were released and 70 benefited after the government’s announcement of 45-day remission on the eve of Eid.