Pakistan, India exchange lists of prisoners

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and India on Saturday exchanged lists of their nationals in each other’s prisons.

According to a spokesperson for the Foreign Office, the Government of Pakistan shared with the Indian High Commission in Islamabad a list of 628 Indian prisoners in Pakistan, including 51 civilians and 577 fishermen.

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The Indian government simultaneously shared a list of 355 Pakistani prisoners in India, including 282 civilians and 73 fishermen with the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.

The two neighbouring countries swap lists of prisoners twice a year – on Jan 1 and July 1.

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“This step is consistent with the clause (i) of the Agreement on Consular Access between Pakistan and India, signed on 21st May 2008, under which both countries are required to exchange lists of prisoners in each other’s custody twice a year, on 1st January and 1st July, respectively,” the spokesperson said.