KARACHI, Dec 16: Four hundred and thirty prisoners were released in Sindh on Sunday on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr, after they were granted special remissions in their sentences by the President of Pakistan and the Governor of Sindh.

The jail authorities told Dawn that 645 other prisoners had also benefited from the one-year special remission, granted by President General Pervaiz Musharraf and six-month remission by Governor Mohammedmian Soomro.

However, they said, those convicted by the accountability courts would not benefit from the special remission.

Similarly, they said, convicts in the cases of espionage, anti-state activities, sectarianism, rape, kidnapping, terrorism and murder would not be benefited from the special remission.

The Superintendent of the Karachi Central Prison, Rashid Saeed, told Dawn that 53 convicts were released from the prison.

He said besides these 53 convicts, 361 others also benefited from the remissions awarded in their sentences by the President of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf.

Deputy jailer Amanullah Abbasi said 77 under-trial prisoners were also released on the eve of the Eid afterthey were granted bail by courts.

Prison authorities has allowed families and friends of inmates of the Central and Malir prisons to visit their relatives in the jails.

The permission has been granted for Monday and Tuesday.