Freed family members meet Gilani

ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani here on Friday warmly welcomed the five Pakistanis freed by the Saudi government, imprisoned on charges of narcotics smuggling.
They were freed after the arrest of the real culprits in Pakistan, who without the persons knowledge, placed narcotics in their belongings.
The Prime Minister invited the freed persons to visit the Prime Minister House soon after their arrival at airport by a special Saudi chartered flight.
Gilani received the Pakistanis accompanied by Interior Minister Rehman Malik and warmly greeted them with garlands on their safe return to home. Your innocence has added to the countrys pride, the Prime Minister told the freed persons.
The Prime Minister expressed gratitude to the Saudi government for the release of Pakistanis after they provided proof of their innocence.
He said the governments sincere efforts and prayers of nation brought fruits with Allahs blessing.
Gilani mentioned the efforts of Interior Minister Rehman Malik and the Religious Ministry for resolving the issue.
He said he had directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to make diplomatic efforts to take up the issue of release of other innocent Pakistanis abroad.
He also listened to the problems of the freed persons and issued directives to the authorities concerned for regularization of a man in a company.
Israr Ahmed from Rawalpindi adds: Earlier, Five innocent Pakistanis, detained in connection with fake narcotics smuggling case in Saudi Arabia for over four months, Friday arrived at Chaklala Airbase through a special aeroplane.
These five people, belong to the same family hail from Karachi, were released by Saudi government after conducting a detailed interrogation in the fake heroin smuggling case.
Federal Minister for Interior Rehman Malik, the Deputy Secretary of Interior, Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan, senior officers of the Interior Ministry and FIA, Standing Committee on Interior in Senate Chairman Senator Talha Mehmood and relatives of the victim family greeted them at Chaklala Airbase.
The five family members freed by Saudi government included Anis, his wife Rabia, Arif Chohan, his wife Shumaila and Zohra were garlanded by Federal Minister for Interior Rehman Malik as they touched the homeland leaving the special aeroplane, given by Saudi government to take the family to Pakistan. The Interior Minister also presented sweets to them.
On the occasion, emotional scenes could be witnessed at the Base as the parents of the released persons were hugging them and kissing their faces while having tears in their eyes. The parents termed the release of their beloved ones as a special clemency of Allah Almighty.
Pakistani family was released on September 21, 2009 by Saudi government, which was to arrive in Pakistan on September 28 (Monday) but the family members performed Umrah due to which they couldnt come on the prescribed date.
According to detail, the Saudi special plane landed at Chaklala Airbase at 3:38pm. The five family members came out of the plane and hugged their relatives and parents.
Some members of Saudi royal family were also accompanying them. The high ups of the Pakistani government welcomed them.
While talking to media men, Rehman Malik said that Saudi Arabian government had released five innocent Pakistanis, implicated in a fake narcotics smuggling case.
He expressed his gratitude to Saudi royal family, King Shah Abdullah and especially Interior Minister Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz for his unconditional support to the innocent Pakistanis.
President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani, Standing Committee on Interior in Senate Chairman Senator Talhah Mehmood and MQM Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Dr Farooq Sattar also played a pivotal role in release of the Pakistani family, he added.
Federal Interior Minister said that today the whole world had witnessed that these Pakistanis were innocent and Saudi King, on the request of Pakistani government, ordered their release, adding that he was directed by the President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to resolve the issue before Eidul Fitr.
I talked to Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz who (Prince) wrote a latter to Saudi King and later met him and took the matter before him (King), who directed release of the Pakistani family, wrongly implicated in narcotics smuggling case Rehman Malik informed.
He said that the members of the family held in Saudia, also proved innocent in an investigation conducted by Pakistani authorities.
Rehman Malik, replying to a question, expelled the impression that Saudi Arabia released the five people conditionally, saying, The government of Saudi Arabia is very kindly and as a goodwill gesture has decided to provide a special plane to the Pakistanis to return home.
Arif Chohan, one of the family members who got released from Saudi law enforcers, while talking to media men, termed the release as an extra kindness of Allah Almighty and the result of gigantic efforts of big wigs of Pakistani government including legislators of MQM.
To a query, Arif said that they even did not know that they would be implicated in a false narcotics smuggling case.