WASHINGTON – The US government on Thursday resettled a Guantanamo Bay detainee, Pakistani Majid Khan, in Belize after he finished serving his sentence.
Khan, 42, admitted in 2012 to conspiring with members of the Al Qaeda militant organisation responsible for the 2001 attacks to commit murder as well as providing material support for terrorism and spying and had been serving as a government witness since according to US officials.
He was captured in Pakistan and held at an unidentified CIA “black site” from 2003 to 2006 before being placed at the detention camp at the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay.
In a statement issued through his legal team, Khan welcomed what he called a second chance in life.
“I deeply regret the things that I did many years ago, and I have taken responsibility and tried to make up for them. I continue to ask for forgiveness from God and those I have hurt. I am truly sorry,” Khan said.
"I have been given a second chance in life and I intend to make the most of it," Khan said in a statement.
The US government is aiming to "responsibly reduce the detainee population" at Guantanamo Bay and ultimately close the facility, the US Department of Defense said in a statement on Thursday.
Khan was one of the better known prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay facility - a US military prison that once housed hundreds of suspected militants captured following the 9/11 attacks.
That was in part due to his testimony about being tortured while held in secret in CIA custody overseas from 2003, following his capture in Pakistan, to 2006.
In a testimony during a hearing at the Guantanamo Bay facility in 2021, Khan alleged he was subjected to beatings and waterboarding and was stripped nude and forced to undergo procedures including enemas during his time at the overseas CIA site.
Khan was the first Guantanamo detainee released since last October, leaving 34 detainees — down from a peak of 800 — at the facility, with 20 others already deemed eligible for transfer to another country, according to US officials.
There were 40 detainees at Guantanamo when President Joe Biden, a Democrat, took office in 2021. Biden has said he hopes to close the facility. The federal government is barred by law from transferring Guantanamo detainees to US mainland prisons.
Khan’s transfer was accepted by Belize’s Cabinet and paid for by the US government, Belize’s Foreign Minister Eamon Courtenay said.
Daily Pakistan Global Web Desk
KARACHI - Following are the foreign currency exchange rates for US Dollar, Saudi Riyal, UK Pound Sterling, U.A.E. Dirham, European Euro, and other foreign currencies in Pakistan open market on April 01 , 2023 (Saturday).
Source: Forex Association of Pakistan. (last update 09:00 AM)
Currency | Symbol | Buying | Selling |
US Dollar | USD | 283.6 | 286.65 |
Euro | EUR | 308 | 311 |
UK Pound Sterling | GBP | 350.5 | 354 |
U.A.E Dirham | AED | 77.2 | 77.9 |
Saudi Riyal | SAR | 75.5 | 76.5 |
Australian Dollar | AUD | 187.5 | 189.9 |
Bahrain Dinar | BHD | 754.25 | 762.25 |
Canadian Dollar | CAD | 206.5 | 208.7 |
China Yuan | CNY | 41.16 | 41.56 |
Danish Krone | DKK | 41.49 | 41.89 |
Hong Kong Dollar | HKD | 36.11 | 36.46 |
Indian Rupee | INR | 3.45 | 3.56 |
Japanese Yen | JPY | 2.25 | 2.3 |
Kuwaiti Dinar | KWD | 924.86 | 933.86 |
Malaysian Ringgit | MYR | 64.14 | 64.73 |
New Zealand Dollar | NZD | 176.37 | 178.38 |
Norwegians Krone | NOK | 27.16 | 27.46 |
Omani Riyal | OMR | 736.57 | 144.51 |
Qatari Riyal | QAR | 77.87 | 78.57 |
Singapore Dollar | SGD | 209.5 | 211.5 |
Swedish Korona | SEK | 27.35 | 27.65 |
Swiss Franc | CHF | 310.26 | 312.76 |
Thai Bhat | THB | 8.29 | 8.44 |
KARACHI - The price of a single tola of 24-karat gold in Pakistan is Rs 209,000 on Saturday.The price of 10 grams of 24k gold was recorded at Rs179,190.
Likewise, 10 grams of 22k gold were being traded for Rs163,624 while a single tola of 22-karat gold was being sold at Rs 190,880.
Note: The gold rate in Pakistan is fluctuating according to the international market so the price is never been fixed. The below rates are provided by local gold markets and Sarafa Markets of different cities.
City | Gold | Silver |
Lahore | PKR 209,000 | PKR 2,525 |
Karachi | PKR 209,000 | PKR 2,525 |
Islamabad | PKR 209,000 | PKR 2,525 |
Peshawar | PKR 209,000 | PKR 2,525 |
Quetta | PKR 209,000 | PKR 2,525 |
Sialkot | PKR 209,000 | PKR 2,525 |
Attock | PKR 209,000 | PKR 2,525 |
Gujranwala | PKR 209,000 | PKR 2,525 |
Jehlum | PKR 209,000 | PKR 2,525 |
Multan | PKR 209,000 | PKR 2,525 |
Bahawalpur | PKR 209,000 | PKR 2,525 |
Gujrat | PKR 209,000 | PKR 2,525 |
Nawabshah | PKR 209,000 | PKR 2,525 |
Chakwal | PKR 209,000 | PKR 2,525 |
Hyderabad | PKR 209,000 | PKR 2,525 |
Nowshehra | PKR 209,000 | PKR 2,525 |
Sargodha | PKR 209,000 | PKR 2,525 |
Faisalabad | PKR 209,000 | PKR 2,525 |
Mirpur | PKR 209,000 | PKR 2,525 |
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