Pakistani Ambassador Muhammad Naeem Khan has requested the Saudi government to release prisoners and repatriate those convicted of petty crimes languishing in Saudi jails.

“I applaud Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for the extended amnesty for prisoners,” Khan said. “We request the government to give amnesty to those prisoners who fall in this category so that they can go home and celebrate Eid with their children and families.”

Regarding the second phase of amnesty deadline for illegal workers, Khan said: “We should not waste time. This is a golden opportunity for Pakistani workers. Illegal workers should correct their status before the deadline.

The Pakistan Embassy in Riyadh and the consulate in Jeddah are making determined efforts to communicate with workers and are holding job fairs with the aim of legalizing workers. We are planning to hold other job fairs in major cities in the Western Province to reach out to the large concentration of Pakistani workers.”

He added that he was proud of Pakistani community members and volunteers participating in registering illegal workers. “Without the cooperation and support of the Pakistani community, we would not have been able to undertake this project of correcting the status of illegals,” he said.