May 27, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 21, 1429

QUETTA, May 26: Twenty-one prisoners who have completed their prison terms are expected to be released in Balochistan after the fines impose on them would be paid by the federal government.

Inspector General Prison Haider Ali Shekoh said on Monday that the release of the prisoners was expected in two days. The prison department had prepared a list of 11 prisoners who had completed their term and had not been released because of non-payment of penalty of about Rs50,000 pending, he said, adding that the prisoners had been sifted from different jails.

The IG said after the approval of the list the federal government had paid an amount of Rs210,666 to the Balochistan government.

Sources in the prison department said that another 10 such prisoners were also waiting their release. The penalty amount against each prisoner was over Rs50,000, they added.

They said their cases had been sent to the authorities concerned for approval and after receiving the penalty amount from the federal government they would be released.