20000108

800 prisoners

released

KARACHI: As many as 800 prisoners have been released in Sindh under the special remission in sentences granted by the government on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, it was officially announced here on Friday.

Uptil now 173 prisoners have been released from jails in Sindh while 627 prisoners involved in minor offences have also been released by the district magistrates in Sindh.

The official statement further said that under the special remission granted by the government on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, there will be one year's special remission to the prisoners convicted for life imprisonment.

There will be six months' special remission to all other convicts except condemned prisoners and those convicted of espionage, subversion, anti-state activities, gang rape, terrorism, kidnapping, abduction, dacoities and those undergoing sentences under the Foreigner Act 1946.

There will be a total remission for male prisoners who are 70 years of age and above and have suffered substantive sentence for 10 years or more.

There will be a total remission for female prisoners who are 65 years of age and above and have suffered substantive sentence for 10 years or more.

There will be a remission of one year to female prisoners who have infant children and are serving sentence for crimes other than culpable homicide.

The ministry of interior has awarded special remission of 60 days in the sentence to all prisoners except those convicted on the charges of espionage, anti-state activities and those sentenced under qisas/Islamic laws in exercise of rule 216 of Pakistan Prison Rules 1978.-APP