A Pakistani truck driver returned home amid tears and jubilation after spending seven years in a Saudi Arabian jail.
Emotional scenes were witnessed as the truck driver, Zahir Hussain Zar Khan, was received by relatives and friends as he arrived at the Bacha Khan International Airport in Peshawar.
Zahir Hussain had travelled to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from Peshawar in 2012 to work as a truck driver. He was later involved in a road accident in which four people lost their lives and was subsequently jailed.
The truck driver had the option of paying 1.3 million Saudi Riyals ($350,000) in blood money to the relatives of the victims but he was unable to pay that amount. Hence, he remained in jail and it was in July of this year that circumstances changed for him when Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman intervened and the Kingdom’s Bait-ul-Maal paid off the debt.
Arriving at the airport on Tuesday, Zahir Hussain was met be cheerful family members and friends as he tearfully embraced his children. From the airport, Zahid made his way to his ancestral graveyard to visit his father’s grave who had died while he was in captivity.
As the trucker hugged his ailing mother, she prayed for a long life for the crown prince.
Hugging his seven-year-old son, Zahir told foreign media, “Spending years in jail, neither my children recognized me nor I (recognised) them.”
He expressed his gratitude for the crown prince for paying the money on his behalf and prayed for the stability of the Saudi government.
Zahir said that had it not been for Mohammad Bin Salman’s mercy and intervention, he would have languished in jail for another 20 years.
Khan’s younger brother, Pir Zada, who is studying in the United Kingdom on a scholarship, had flown to Pakistan upon learning of his brother’s release.
Pir Zada expressed his gratitude to the Saudi government and the crown prince and said that it was their mother’s last wish to see Zahir once more.
Upon reaching Wazir Dhand, his hometown, Zahir was received by relatives and neighbours who placed garlands around his neck.
Tribal elder Hajji Khudadad expressed that it felt like Eid in Wazir Dhand. “I feel rose petals are pouring in from the sky because it feels like Khan has another life. Thank you, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and thank you Saudi Arabia,” he said.
Emotional scenes were witnessed as the truck driver, Zahir Hussain Zar Khan, was received by relatives and friends as he arrived at the Bacha Khan International Airport in Peshawar.
Zahir Hussain had travelled to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from Peshawar in 2012 to work as a truck driver. He was later involved in a road accident in which four people lost their lives and was subsequently jailed.
The truck driver had the option of paying 1.3 million Saudi Riyals ($350,000) in blood money to the relatives of the victims but he was unable to pay that amount. Hence, he remained in jail and it was in July of this year that circumstances changed for him when Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman intervened and the Kingdom’s Bait-ul-Maal paid off the debt.
Arriving at the airport on Tuesday, Zahir Hussain was met be cheerful family members and friends as he tearfully embraced his children. From the airport, Zahid made his way to his ancestral graveyard to visit his father’s grave who had died while he was in captivity.
As the trucker hugged his ailing mother, she prayed for a long life for the crown prince.
Hugging his seven-year-old son, Zahir told foreign media, “Spending years in jail, neither my children recognized me nor I (recognised) them.”
He expressed his gratitude for the crown prince for paying the money on his behalf and prayed for the stability of the Saudi government.
Zahir said that had it not been for Mohammad Bin Salman’s mercy and intervention, he would have languished in jail for another 20 years.
Khan’s younger brother, Pir Zada, who is studying in the United Kingdom on a scholarship, had flown to Pakistan upon learning of his brother’s release.
Pir Zada expressed his gratitude to the Saudi government and the crown prince and said that it was their mother’s last wish to see Zahir once more.
Upon reaching Wazir Dhand, his hometown, Zahir was received by relatives and neighbours who placed garlands around his neck.
Tribal elder Hajji Khudadad expressed that it felt like Eid in Wazir Dhand. “I feel rose petals are pouring in from the sky because it feels like Khan has another life. Thank you, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and thank you Saudi Arabia,” he said.