ISLAMABAD, July 17: A batch of 11 Pakistani detainees released from Guantanamo Bay arrived here on Thursday evening.

An official announcement made here earlier in the day had said 13 Pakistanis freed from Guantanamo Bay’s Camp X-ray would be arriving here in the evening. However, it was clarified later that the number of the released was 11 and not 13.

With the arrival of this batch, the total number of Pakistanis released so far from the Camp X-ray comes to 15. Four were released earlier.

The government on Thursday claimed that the release of Pakistani detainees was the outcome of its “persistent efforts” and held out an assurance that the remaining would be released soon.

“The government of Pakistan is making every effort to secure the release of the remaining Pakistani detainees at Guantanamo Bay as well,” said the official statement.

A senior interior ministry official told Dawn that there were still 42 countrymen detained at Guantanamo Bay.

He said the 11 people would be set free after a joint interrogation by the Pakistani law enforcing agencies. This procedure would take five to six days, he added.

Most of the Pakistanis detained at Camp X-Ray had been arrested from Afghanistan.