ISLAMABAD: Twenty-eight Pakistani prisoners have been released from Iranian jails on humanitarian grounds and repatriated to Pakistan, Iranian embassy in Islamabad said on Friday.

“As agreed, following the recent visit of the honorable Iranian President to Pakistan, some 28 Pakistani prisoners were released and returned to the brotherly country of Pakistan with the suspension of their prison sentences cherishing Islamic benignity and due to the humanitarian goals,” a short statement issued by the embassy read.

Prior to the release of this batch, there were 160 Pakistani prisoners in Iranian jails while 60 Iranian prisoners were in the custody of Pakistani authorities.

The Iranian governm­ent had on the sidelines of President Ebrahim Raisi’s visit last month proposed that both countries rele­ase each other’s nationals being held in their jails on humanitarian grounds.

Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Naz­eer Tarar had in his dis­cussion with Iran’s Dep­uty Justice Minister for Human Rights and Int­er­national Affairs Dr Askar Galailan accepted the proposal and said it would be implemented thr­ough the interior ministry.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2024