ISLAMABAD: A complete of 820 prisoners were discharged from jails of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday to enjoy Eid together with their households. The improvement took place after Prime Minister Imran Khan instructed the governments of each province to ensure discharge of those prisoners who had completed their imprisonment but were not being discharged due to non-payment of fines imposed on them by courts.
It is relevant to point out that in many cases, courts publicize fines along with the imprisonment and in case of non-payment of fines prisoners have to spend a few periods in jail. A lot of prisoners cannot afford to pay the fines so they are kept in jails to complete the imprisonment against fines. Each province, having governments of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, paid Rs270 million as fines imposed on these prisoners by the courts.
The directive was granted to ensure that the prisoners observe Eid with their households. Previously this year, PM Khan increased the problem of Pakistanis imprisoned in Saudi Arabia with the visiting crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, and secured the promise of the quick discharge of 2, 107 Pakistani prisoners in Saudi jails.