Relief: Bahrain pardons 82 Pakistani inmates

ISLAMABAD:  

Pakistan has successfully secured the release of 82 Pakistani prisoners under a royal pardon granted by King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa on Eidul Fitr, the Foreign Office said on Tuesday. “The release of a large number of Pakistanis is the result of efforts of Ambassador Javed Malik, who personally visited the inmates in May 2016 and took up the matter with the relevant authorities in Bahrain,” said a statement issued by the office of the FO spokesperson. “The Pakistanis, who have been released, will soon be united with their families as efforts are now underway to repatriate them back to Pakistan,” the communiqué added. While appreciating the cooperation rendered by Bahraini authorities, particularly the Interior Minister of Bahrain, the families of the prisoners are grateful to King Hamad for his compassion, benevolence and commitment to justice and fairness, the statement said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6^th, 2016.