ISLAMABAD: About 250 Pakistani nationals languishing in different Malaysian jails returned to their homeland on Tuesday ahead of New Year’s Eve.
A special flight of Pakistan International Airlines brought back the Pakistanis from Kuala Lampur to Islamabad after the Malaysian government granted them amnesty.
“Special instructions were given to the Pakistani High Commission by Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) Zulfi Bukhari to mobilize all resources to bring back maximum Pakistani prisoners after registering them under the Malaysian Royal Amnesty Scheme,” according to a statement by the Press Information Department (PID) issued on Monday.
Most of the detainees were stuck in Malaysia after their visas expired.
“Earlier this year, 320 Pakistani nationals were repatriated which makes a total of 8,190 Pakistani nationals released by Malaysian authorities till date,” the PID added.
Pakistan and Malaysia have close bilateral ties which were further enhanced when Prime Minister Imran Khan signed several agreements with the Malaysian government during his visit to the country in November this year.