Sharjah ruler winds up Kerala visit

Sovereign ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah Sultan Bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi today wound up his visit to Kerala and left for Agra. Before proceeding to Agra, Al-Qasimi arrived here from Thiruvananthapuram this morning on a brief private visit. He was received at the Cochin International Airport near here by Ernakulam District Collector K Mohammed Y Safirulla, Inspector General of Police Vijayan and other senior officials. The visiting dignitary later visited the residence of Gulf-based business tycoon M A Yusuf Ali here. The Sharjah ruler left for Agra by a flight from the airport at Nedumbassery, at 1.30 pm today, District Information officials said.

Al Quasimi had arrived in Thiruvananthapuram on September 24. He was conferred the honorary doctorate D'lit of the Calicut University at a function held in the state capital yesterday. He had yesterday announced a general amnesty under which a total of 149 Indians serving prison terms for minor and financial offences in Sharjah will be released.
He made the announcement in response to a request by state Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan seeking the release of Keralites who had completed three years of their jail term in Sharjah.