ISLAMABAD: Chairman of National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis Sheikh Fayyaz-ud-Din told Arab News on Friday that the government was in touch with the relevant Saudi authorities for the release of Pakistani prisoners in the Kingdom.
He also confirmed the release of 579 Pakistani prisoners this year, adding it was in line with an announcement made by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his visit to Pakistan in February 2019.
“The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis shared the details of 579 released prisoners from Saudi jails with the standing committee,” he told Arab News.
Fayyaz-ud-Din said most of those released from Saudi prisons were involved in minor misdemeanors in the Kingdom. Some of them were also involved in drug-related crimes.
“Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman promised to release about 2,100 Pakistani prisoners jailed in Saudi Arabia and we hope that the remaining inmates will also be released soon,” he said.
Last month, Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, told Arab News in an interview that 579 Pakistani prisoners were released this year after the crown prince’s visit to Islamabad.
According to an official estimate, there are about 3,400 Pakistani prisoners in Saudi jails, and Prime Minister Imran Khan requested the release of these inmates during the high profile visit of the Saudi Crown Prince.
Saudi Arabia is home to around 2.6 million Pakistani expats who constitute a vital source of foreign remittances to Pakistan.
Last year, the country received $21.8 billion in remittances out of which $5 billion were remitted by Pakistani nationals working in the Kingdom.
Lawmaker says in touch with Saudi authorities for release of remaining prisoners
Lawmaker says in touch with Saudi authorities for release of remaining prisoners
- Chairman of National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis confirmed the release of 579 prisoners
- Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman promised to release 2,100 Pakistani during his visit to Islamabad in February
Pakistan reviews austerity measures amid Middle East crisis, urges strict nationwide implementation
- Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar chairs review meeting of austerity steps
- Officials briefed on salary cuts, school closures, four‑day week, petrol conservation
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government on Wednesday assessed progress on a sweeping set of austerity measures introduced to mitigate the country’s economic strain from sharply rising global oil prices and supply disruptions linked to the ongoing war in the Middle East.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif this week announced a series of austerity steps, including a four‑day work week for government offices, requiring 50 percent of staff to work from home, cutting fuel allowances for official vehicles by half, grounding up to 60 percent of the government fleet and closing all schools for two weeks to conserve fuel amid the global oil crisis.
The measures were unveiled in response to global oil market volatility triggered by the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which has disrupted supply routes such as the Strait of Hormuz and pushed crude prices sharply higher, straining Pakistan’s heavily import‑dependent energy sector.
“The meeting stressed the importance of strict and transparent adherence to the austerity measures, promoting fiscal responsibility and prudent use of public resources,” Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar said in a statement.
He was chairing a meeting of the Committee for Monitoring and Implementation of Conservation and Additional Austerity Measures, constituted under the directions of the PM, bringing together federal and provincial officials to review execution of the broad cost‑cutting plan.
Dar emphasized the government’s commitment to enforcing the PM’s austerity steps nationwide. The committee’s review also covered reductions in departmental expenditure, deductions from salaries of senior officials earning over Rs. 300,000 ($1,120), and coordination with provincial administrations to ensure uniform implementation of the plan.
Participants at the meeting reiterated that all ministries and divisions must continue strict monitoring and reporting, with transparent oversight mechanisms, as Pakistan navigates the economic pressures from the prolonged Middle East crisis and its fallout on global energy and trade markets.
