PESHAWAR, Nov 13: With the declaration of public holiday on Saturday, a number of prisoners who were granted bails or were acquitted by different courts could not be released from prison.

The release orders of these prisoners could not be prepared by the courts and the prisoners would have to remain in prison for five more days.

Although, the federal government announced Eid holidays from Nov 15 to Nov 17, the NWFP government also added Nov 13 as public holiday.

The Peshawar High Court on Friday acquitted various prisoners in different cases.

Similarly, bails were granted to some prisoners by the court.

As the subordinate courts have to accept the bail bonds, their release could not be materialized.

Under the law, the office concerned in the high court normally sends the court's order to the lower court which has to issue the release order. This order is sent to the prison concerned from where the prisoner is then released.

Relatives of some prisoners, who were acquitted by the high court on Friday, had to suffer the same ordeal.

Due to public holiday, now their release orders would be processed on Thursday.