The Saudi Crown Prince orders the release of 2,100 prisoners from Pak, said the Minister

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has ordered the release of about 2,100 Pakistani prisoners from the kingdom's prisons during a high-profile visit to Islamabad, the Pakistani Minister of Information announced on Monday.

Prince Mohammed arrived in Pakistan on Sunday at the beginning of an Asian tour, which will include China and is seen as an attempt by him to rebuild his reputation after the murder of Saudi critic and journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Saudi Arabia signed Sunday with Pakistan investment agreements worth 20 billion dollars.

The Crown Prince had "ordered the immediate release of 2,107 Pakistani prisoners", following a request by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, said Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry in a message posted on Twitter.

The fate of thousands of Pakistani workers locked up in Middle East prisons is a sensitive issue in Pakistan, where there is a perception that most of the prisoners are working poor and have no real legal recourse.

A very large number of Pakistanis go to the Middle East every year, many working on construction sites or as domestic helpers. The remittances they send are vital to the Pakistani economy in need of dollars.

Saudi Arabia has not yet commented on Pakistan's announcement of the release of a prisoner.

The visit of the Crown Prince marks a strengthening of ties between allies whose relations were once centered on oil-rich Saudi Arabia, supporting the Pakistani economy during difficult times, and in return for the powerful army. Pakistani lending its support to Saudi Arabia and its royal family.

Guardians of most holy places of the birthplace of Islam, the Saudi royal family exerts considerable religious influence in Pakistan, a resolutely conservative and predominantly Muslim country of 208 million inhabitants.

Saudi Arabia has helped in recent months to maintain the economy of Pakistan by supporting foreign exchange reserves quickly reduced by a loan of $ 6 billion, which gave him room to maneuver when negotiating a bailout with the International Monetary Fund.

Pakistan has expressed appreciation for Prince Mohammed 's trip as the biggest state visit since Chinese President Xi Jinping' s visit in 2015, shortly after Beijing 's announcement of its intention to launch a visit. invest tens of billions of dollars in Pakistan's infrastructure as part of the Chinese Belt and Road initiative.

Many Westerners have accused Prince Mohammed of the murder of journalist Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October.

The badbadination sparked the biggest political crisis of the kingdom for a generation. The crown prince denied being involved.

(With the exception of the title, this story has not been changed by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated thread.)