ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani national, Saif Ullah Paracha, was released from Guantanamo Bay detention centre after spending more than 18 years in jail, and reached Pakistan on Saturday.

This was announced separately by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari through a tweet and the Foreign Office in a statement.

“Saif Ullah Paracha, a Pakistani national, who was detained in Guantanamo Bay, has been released and reached Pakistan on Saturday, 29 October, 2022,” the Foreign Office said.

It stated that the Foreign Ministry completed an extensive inter-agency process to facilitate repatriation of Paracha. “We are glad that a Pakistani citizen detained abroad is finally reunited with his family,” it added.

The 75-year-old is said to be the oldest at Guantanamo Bay prison and was held on suspicion of ties to al Qaeda, but never charged with a crime. As per media reports Paracha’s release was approved in May last year after more than 16 years in custody at the US base in Cuba. In a tweet, Foreign Minister Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari stated: “Mr. Paracha, who was detained in Guantanamo Bay, has been released and reached Pakistan on Saturday. We are glad that a citizen detained abroad is reunited with his family.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022