The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) Wednesday decided to release six Pakistanis who were found guilty of disrespecting Masjid-e-Nabwi by shouting slogans during the visit of Pakistani ministers in April.
According to the 24NewsHD TV channel, a decision to this effect has been taken by Mohammad Bin Salman, the crown prince of KSA at the request of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Reportedly, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif had requested the Saudi Crown Prince to release the Pakistanis arrested in connection with the April 2022 incident.
Shehbaz Sharif expressed gratitude to the Saudi crown prince for accepting his request.
A group of protesters/pilgrims, allegedly belonging to the PTI, had heckled federal ministers Marriyum Aurangzeb and Shahzain Bugti at Prophet’s Mosque after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif landed in Madinah in April this year.
Among the protesters, as many as six Pakistani nationals were convicted of violating the sanctity of the Masjid by a Saudi court two days after the incident.
Three of the accused were sentenced to 6 years in prison, each including Anas, Irshad, and Muhammad Saleem. Others, Khawaja Luqman, Muhammad Afzal, and Ghulam Muhammad were handed eight years of imprisonment.
The court imposed a fine of 20,000 Riyals on each of them and confiscated their mobile phones. Another Pakistani, Tahir Malik, was also sentenced to three years in prison and fined 10,000 Riyals. He will also be released.