Pakistan, India swap N-installations, prisoners lists

Practice is witnessed twice a year on Jan 1, July 1 under the Consular Access Agreement

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan and India on Friday shared the lists of nuclear installations and prisoners languishing in each other’s jails, as per relevant bilateral agreements, according to the Foreign Office announcement on Friday.

The Foreign Office said that in accordance with Article-II of the Agreement on Prohibition of Attacks against Nuclear Installations and Facilities between Pakistan and India, signed on December 31, 1988, the list of nuclear installations and facilities in Pakistan was officially handed over to a representative of the Indian High Commission at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The statement added that the Indian Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi handed over the list of Indian nuclear installations and facilities to a representative of the Pakistan High Commission Friday morning.

Both the countries also shared the list of prisoners in each other’s jails. "The government of Pakistan, today, shared with the Indian High Commission in Islamabad a list of 319 Indian prisoners in Pakistan, including 49 civilians and 270 fishermen prisoners," the Foreign Office said.

The Indian government also simultaneously shared the list of 340 Pakistani prisoners in India, including 263 civilians and 77 fishermen with the High Commission for Pakistan in New Delhi. “This step is consistent with the provisions of the Consular Access Agreement between Pakistan and India, signed on May 21, 2008, under which both the countries are required to exchange lists of prisoners in each other’s custody twice a year, on January 1 and July 1, respectively,” the statement added.