Kabul,
November 19 (IslamOnline) – The Afghani government agreed to release
248 Pakistani prisoners and a Yemeni from jail after mediation by the
United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Speaking
to reporters Monday, November 18, UAE Ambassador Ali Mohammad
el-Shamsi said the release of the prisoner came as a humanitarian
initiative and good will exerted by his country upon directives from
UAE President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nuhayyan.
Emerging
from a meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, the diplomat said
the initiative was crowned with success after his country convinced
Pakistan to free 650 Afghani prisoners.
He
reaffirmed tireless efforts by his country to help the two neighbors
Pakistan and Afghanistan mend their fences.
A
visit by Karzai to the UAE on Monday, November 2, signaled the
restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Karzai
opened, during the visit, an embassy for his country in Abu Dhabi and
in reciprocation a UAE Embassy was opened in Kabul.
Ever
since the beginning of the U.S.-led military campaign against
Afghanistan, the UAE offered food and medical supplies, worth of 6
million dollars, to Afghan refugees scattered along the country’s
borders with Iran and Pakistan.
The
UAE, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan were the only three countries that had
diplomatic ties with the ousted Taliban regime in Kabul.
