India frees 39 Pakistani prisoners

AMRITSAR: India on Monday released 39 Pakistani prisoners, including two women less than a week after Islamabad set free an Indian jailed in the country for 23 years.

The Pakistanis were escorted to Wagha Border from where they left for home.

Border guard officer Lakhbir Singh said the detainees were held in eight separate prisons on charges of either overstaying their visa or illegally crossing into India.

Pakistan last week released a jailed Indian national who had been held for 23 years.

The move was seen as another confidence-building measure as India and Pakistan look to get their stalled peace process back on track.

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani became the most senior Pakistani leader to visit India since 2001 when he watched the India-Pakistan cricket World Cup semi-final late last month with his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh.