ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Friday said that since March 2014, Libya has released 226 out of the total 300 Pakistani detainees from its jails.

In a statement released to the media, the FO said that “while the ongoing evacuation operation for bringing back the thousands of stranded Pakistanis in Libya” was in full swing, the government was also paying due attention to obtain the release of detained Pakistani nationals in Libya.

“Since March 2014, out of a total number of 300 detainees, release of 226 detainees has been ensured,” the statement said.

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The Foreign Office added that the 226 figure was unprecedented, “both, if compared with previous figures of release of Pakistani prisoners in the past, as well as in comparison to any other expatriate community in Libya”.

The FO pledged that despite the challenges Pakistan was confronted with due to Libya’s security situation, the embassy in Tripoli “will continue to work for the release of all imprisoned Pakistanis in Libya and ensure their safe repatriation”.

Today's statement came days after a special flight arrived from Tripoli in Lahore with 260 Pakistanis on board. It was the 7th special flight since August 13, 2014 — operated by the Government of Pakistan — for evacuating thousands of Pakistanis who have been stranded in Libya. It brought the total number of Pakistanis airlifted back to the country to 1,987.