Pakistan To Release Prisoners Who Cannot Pay Fine

May 22, 2008 1:29 a.m. EST

Islamabad, Pakistan (AHN) - Pakistan's Prime Minister on Wednesday asked provincial governments to immediately release prisoners who have completed their sentence but are still in jail due to non-payment of fines.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said funds amounting to around $103,507 have been released to the concerned departments to comply with all necessary legal formalities at the earliest for release of such prisoners.

Some 190 such prisoners have been identified. They have already completed their sentence but are still in prison for non-payment of small fines, the Associated Press of Pakistan, a state-run news agency, reported.