Relief: 13 prisoners released after grant of remission

President announced special remissions for prisoners who had completed one-fifth of their total jail sentence.

HARIPUR:

At least thirteen prisoners including a woman were released from Haripur central prison on Tuesday in connection with the Eid remission granted by the president and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief minister.

One of the inmates was released after overstaying for three years after the completion of his sentence, official sources told.

The President of Pakistan has announced special remissions for prisoners who had completed one-fifth of their total jail sentence on the occasion of Independence Day, while the Chief Minister Haider Khan Hoti also announced two months remission for inmates on the occasion of Eidul Fitr. As a result, 12 prisoners including a woman were released from Haripur Jail, while another prisoner, Jabaar Shah, a resident of Takhbai Mardan, who had completed his sentence of 25 years in

2008 but was not released due to nonpayment of Rs273,000 in Diyat (compensation payable under Shariah law to the heirs of the person murdered by him). However, a local philanthropist paid the Diyat for Jabbar Shah and facilitated his release.

Jabar Shah thanked the man who paid his Diyat and said that he would celebrate Eid with his family.



Published in The Express Tribune, September 3^rd, 2011.