PESHAWAR, May 28: At least 10 foreigners, eight members of an Egyptian family and two Tajik boys, have been released from the Peshawar central prison and handed over to a former MNA and a welfare organisation.

The foreigners were shifted from the prison on Saturday on an order of the additional district and sessions judge, Ahtesham Ali.

The foreigners were handed over to former MNA of the Pakistan Muslim League (N), Javed Ibrahim Paracha, and the Al-Khidmat Foundation, a welfare body affiliated with the Jamaat-i-Islami.

The court ordered the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to return the money seized from the Egyptian family at the time of their arrest from Charssada district last year. The currency included $8,000, 7,000 Swedish crone and Rs60,000.

The provincial home department did not oppose their being handed over to Mr Paracha and the Al-Khidmat Foundation but put forward a condition that they should be responsible for their custody and should produce them to the government or the court whenever required.

The court issued the orders on an application filed by the Al-Khidmat Foundation and Mr Paracha, requesting that they would impart medical facilities to some of the 10 detained people who had been suffering from different ailments.

Advocate Haji Fida Gul appeared for the applicant and stated that proper medical treatment could not be provided to the foreigners in the prison.

The court received undertakings from Mr Paracha and Hameedullah of the Al-Khidmat Foundation that they would produce the foreigners whenever required in court.

The Egyptian family was arrested by an intelligence agency from a residence at Dwa Sarae village in Charsadda district on May 23, 2005. It handed over the foreigners to the FIA on April 18.

The FIA registered FIRs against them under section 14 of the Foreigners Act, 1946.