Daily Times

Pakistan and India on Saturday exchanged lists of prisoners in each other’s custody through diplomatic channels in pursuance of an agreement signed between both countries.

The list was officially handed over to a representative of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Simultaneously, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs also handed over the list of Pakistani prisoners in Indian custody to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.

“Consistent with the provisions of the 2008 Agreement on Consular Access, the Government of Pakistan today handed over a list of 308 Indian prisoners in Pakistan (42 civilian prisoners and 266 fishermen) to the High Commission of India in Islamabad,” a statement issued in this regard by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs notified. Moreover, the statement added: “The Government of India handed over the list of Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails to Pakistan High Commission, New Delhi. “According to the list, there are a total of 417 Pakistanis in Indian jails (343 civilian prisoners and 74 fishermen).” The statement further urged India to release Pakistani prisoners who have completed their sentences.

“The Government of India has been urged to release and repatriate all those Pakistani civilian prisoners and fishermen, who have completed their respective sentence and their national status stands confirmed,” the statement said. Both countries also exchanged the list of prisoners in each other’s custody in pursuance of the Consular Access Agreement of 2008. The countries share lists twice a year – January 1 and July 1. Earlier this year, the Pakistan government shared with the Indian High Commission in Islamabad a list of 705 Indian prisoners detained in Pakistan, including 51 civilian prisoners and 654 fishermen. Meanwhile, the Indian government shared a list of 434 Pakistani prisoners in India, including 339 civilian prisoners and 95 fishermen.