ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui on Thursday said a Pakistani mission in Saudi Arabia was discussing with Saudi Arabian authorities the release of Pakistani prisoners.
“Pakistan is cognizant of its responsibility towards them and its missions abroad are extending fully facilitation and assistance to the prisoners,” Aisha Farooqui said while responding to a question about Pakistani prisoners languishing in foreign jails, at her weekly news briefing in Islamabad.
She pointed out that about ten thousand Pakistan nationals were imprisoned in foreign jails and as a result of efforts made by Pakistani authorities, about 4,637 prisoners had been released over the last one year.
“So far 579 prisoners have been released by Saudi Arabian authorities on the clemency announced by the Saudi Arabian Crown Prince. In addition, 1500 Pakistanis have been released by Saudi Arabia under various other clemencies and completion of their sentences,” she said.
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On tense regional situation, the spokesperson said Pakistan would continue to play its role for reduction of tension and peace and stability in the region.
Aisha Farooqui pointed out Pakistan was an important country in the region and it had historic relations with Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United States.
She said the foreign minister during his engagements in Tehran and Saudi Arabia put forward Pakistan’s point of view that war was in nobody’s interest and that we were partner for peace.
The spokesperson said the second briefing to the UN Security Council on the situation in occupied Jammu and Kashmir in five months constituted success of Pakistan to highlight the plight of oppressed Kashmiri people. She said it reaffirmed that Kashmir was an internationally recognized dispute which was on the agenda of the Security Council for seven decades.
To a question, Aisha Farooqui said the US envoy Alice Wells was expected to visit Pakistan during which talks would be held on the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and regional situation.
She said the visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to Davos was also on the cards.
When asked about US-Taliban talks, Aisha Farooqui said Pakistan had welcomed the resumption of their talks. She hoped the talks would be concluded at the earliest leading to intra-Afghan negotiations.
