ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has Provided the High Commission of India on Sunday, a list of 471 Indian prisoners, including 53 civil and 418 fishermen in Pakistan’s jail.
According to Foreign Ministry statement, “This is consistent with the provisions of the Consular Access Agreement between Pakistan and India, signed on May 21, 2008, under which both countries are required to exchange lists of prisoners in each other’s custody twice a year, on January 1 and July 1, respectively.”
Furthermore, it is expected that the Indian government will also hand over the list of Pakistani prisoners soon to Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.
Pakistan and India normally arrest fishermen, since they cross water boundaries for illegal fishing, but these two neighboring countries have not yet reached an agreement on maritime boundaries, which is very important as many suffers arrest for a water border cross by mistake.
On Friday, Pakistan released two Indian fishermen as a goodwill gesture to India.
Also, on January 1, Pakistan government had handed over the list of 457 Indian prisoners including 58 civil and 399 fishermen in Pakistan, to the High Commission of India.
Pakistan and India declared ceasefire in 2003 along the LoC and Working Boundary. But this did not work out much and still, both countries regularly blame each other of ceasefire breach.
