Saudi Arabia to release 2,000 Pakistani prisoners as part of lavish diplomatic visit

Saudi Arabia has agreed to free more than 2,000 Pakistani prisoners as the kingdom's crown prince continued a high profile visit to its nuclear-armed ally.

Mohammad bin Salman promised to deliver “whatever we can do” for Pakistanis living in his country after a personal plea from Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The mass amnesty followed the signing of more than $20bn of Saudi investment deals in a lavish visit which has seen Islamabad spare no expense to welcome its wealthy friend.

The Crown Prince's visit is seen as sealing deepening ties between the two nations at a time when Mr Khan's government faces a painful balance of payments crisis.

Cash injections from Riyadh and the UAE have kept Pakistan's economy afloat in recent months and allowed Mr Khan to delay a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The Crown Prince's investment deals, including a refinery complex, offer another economic lifeline.

The release of Pakistani petty criminals offered Mr Khan a political gift. Millions of Pakistanis work in the Gulf and their remittances are a critical source of foreign currency for Pakistan's economy. The fate of the thousands who are locked up across the Middle East is a sensitive issue in Pakistan, where there is a perception the prisoners are mostly poor labourers who have no legal recourse.

Mr Khan reportedly raised the issue on Sunday night at a welcome ceremony at the Prime Minister's official residence, making a “special request” to MBS to look into the hardships of Pakistani labourers working in the kingdom, and to “look upon them as your own people”.

Fawad Chaudhry, information minister, said on Monday morning: “His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of KSA Mohammad Bin Salman has ordered the immediate release of 2,107 Pakistani prisoners from Saudi jails.”

Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Pakistan's foreign minister, also said the crown prince had “graciously agreed to free 2107 Pakistani prisoners in Saudi Arabia with immediate effect. Cases of the remaining will be reviewed.”

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have long shared close ties. The wealthy Gulf kingdom has provided financial support in the past, while the Muslim world's only nuclear power has vowed to defend Saudi Arabia and its royal family.

Yet Pakistan's biggest state visit since the one by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2015 comes as ties appear to be entering a newer, closer era. While Mr Khan's government gets an economic boost, Riyadh boosts its oil market and plugs into the new Chinese trade network stretching across Asia.

The Crown Prince's international reputation has been badly tarnished after journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed in the kingdom's Istanbul consulate, though he denies any involvement. Yet Pakistan heaped honours on its guest, including a 21-gun salute, fighter jet escort, and honour guard. The Crown Prince also received the country's highest civilian award the Nishan-e-Pakistan (Order of Pakistan).

His Islamabad visit was the first leg of a wider Asia visit, with the prince due to arrive in Delhi on Monday evening.

His foreign minister vowed the kingdom would try to “de-escalate” rising tensions between Pakistan and India after a suicide bomb attack in Indian-administered Kashmir killed 41 paramilitary policemen.

Delhi has vowed to retaliate after the Pakistan-based Islamist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) claimed responsibility for Thursday's attack in the disputed territory.

“Our objective is to try to de-escalate tensions between the two countries, neighbouring countries, and to see if there is a path forward to resolving those differences peacefully,” said Adel al-Jubeir.

India has vowed to “isolate” Pakistan diplomatically in the international community, saying it has “incontrovertible evidence” of Islamabad's role.

Pakistan has rejected the allegations.