ISLAMABAD: A total of 820 prisoners were released from jails of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday to celebrate Eid along with their families.

The development took place after Prime Minister Imran Khan directed the governments of both provinces to ensure release of those prisoners who had completed their imprisonment but were not being released due to non-payment of fines imposed on them by courts.

It is pertinent to mention that in most of cases, courts announce fines along with the imprisonment and in case of non-payment of fines prisoners have to spend some duration in jail. A large number of prisoners cannot afford to pay the fines so they are kept in jails to complete the imprisonment against fines.

Both provinces, having governments of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, paid Rs270 million as fines imposed on these prisoners by the courts.

The directive was issued to ensure that the prisoners observe Eid with their families.

Earlier this year, PM Khan raised the issue of Pakistanis imprisoned in Saudi Arabia with the visiting crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, and secured the promise of the immediate release of 2,107 Pakistani prisoners in Saudi jails.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2019