The National Assembly was informed on Friday that repatriation of 2,107 Pakistani prisoners, detained in Saudi Arabia’s jail, was expected by mid-Ramazan, as promised by the Saudi crown prince during his visit to Pakistan. Responding to a calling attention notice seeking details of steps taken by the government for the release of thousands of Pakistanis languishing in foreign jails, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan claimed that expatriates were dear to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. He said the prime minister had made a special request to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to release Pakistani prisoners involved in petty cases. He said that out of 2,107 prisoners, about 200 had already been repatriated, and the remaining would be repatriated next month. He said the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Overseas Pakistanis were working on a mechanism for the release of thousands of Pakistani prisoners languishing in jails abroad. The minister said the prime minister, during his official visit to Iran, also requested the authorities there to release Pakistani prisoners involved in petty cases. He said a number of overseas Pakistanis were also imprisoned in Gulf countries, and the government was taking appropriate measures for their repatriation. The Pakistani embassies were hiring lawyers for the expatriates who were unable to make such arrangements, he said, and added that the PM had also talked to the Afghan government for the release of Pakistani prisoners there.