Prisoners lists exchanged between Pakistan, India

Islamabad: Pakistan and India exchanged lists of prisoners in each other’s custody at the diplomatic level under the 2008 Consular Access Agreement.

According to a Foreign Office spokesperson, both countries are required to provide each other with lists of prisoners on January 1 and July 1 every year.

The Government of Pakistan provided the Indian High Commission in Islamabad with a list of 246 Indian or presumed Indian prisoners, including 53 civilians and 193 fishermen.

India provided the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi with a list of 463 Pakistani or presumed Pakistani prisoners, including 382 civilians and 81 fishermen.

The Government of Pakistan has demanded the immediate release and repatriation of all Pakistani prisoners and fishermen who have completed their sentences and whose citizenship has been verified.

Along with this, special consular access has also been requested for all Pakistani prisoners, including those with mental or physical disabilities, to enable prompt verification of their citizenship, and for India to provide consular access to all such prisoners.

According to the spokesperson, the Indian government should ensure the safety, security, and well-being of Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails.

The Government of Pakistan gives top priority to such matters on humanitarian grounds and will continue its efforts to ensure the early return of all Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails.