ISLAMABAD – A total of 7,208 Pakistani prisoners have been released from Saudi Arabian prisons between 2019 and 2024, according to a report shared in the Senate by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
The information came in response to a query about the release of 2,107 Pakistani prisoners promised during Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Pakistan in 2019.
During his historic two-day visit in February 2019, the crown prince announced the release of 2,100 Pakistani prisoners from Saudi jails, a move widely welcomed in Pakistan.
Breakdown of Released Prisoners
The Foreign Ministry revealed the following yearly figures for prisoner releases:
- 2019: 545
- 2020: 892
- 2021: 916
- 2022: 1,331
- 2023: 1,394
- 2024: 2,130
Among these, 4,301 prisoners were under the jurisdiction of the Pakistan Consulate General in Jeddah, while 2,907 were under the Pakistan Embassy in Riyadh.
Consular Support and Challenges
Dar mentioned that due to the continuous arrival of prisoners and deportations, it is challenging to determine exactly how many benefitted from the 2019 amnesty. He added that the ministry is working on a comprehensive consular policy to improve support for Pakistani nationals abroad.
Pakistani Prisoners Abroad
The Senate was also informed that 23,456 Pakistanis are currently imprisoned in various countries. Most are in Gulf nations, including:
- Saudi Arabia: 12,156
- UAE: 5,292
- Greece: 811
- Qatar: 338
Many of these detainees are undertrial and lack proper legal representation. Most are laborers who migrated to the Middle East for work, with their remittances playing a significant role in supporting Pakistan’s economy.
The government is working to address the issue, with the Foreign Ministry tasked to implement a “Uniform Consular Protection Policy” to better assist citizens in foreign prisons.