Pakistan, India swap lists of inmates

Pakistan on Friday shared a list of 319 Indian prisoners currently held in the country, including 49 civilians and 270 fishermen with the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, a statement issued by the Foreign Office stated.

This step is consistent with the provisions of the Consular Access Agreement between Pakistan and India, signed on 21 May 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.

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.

The agreement does not include prisoners held on charges of espionage or other military-related offences.

In July, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) shared a list of 324 Indian prisoners in Pakistan including 270 fishermen and 54 civil prisoners with the Indian High Commission, the FO said.

The communique maintained that the Indian government also simultaneously shared a list of 362 Pakistani prisoners in India including 265 civil prisoners and 97 fishermen with the High Commission for Pakistan New Delhi.

"The Pakistan government has been calling for early release and repatriation of 15 civil prisoners and 47 fishermen to Pakistan who have completed their sentences and whose nationality has been confirmed and conveyed to India," the FO added.

Both the countries also exchanged lists of nuclear installations and facilities.

According to the Foreign Office, a list of Pakistan's nuclear installations was handed over to the Indian representative in Islamabad while the list from the Indian side was received by Pakistani representative in New Delhi.

The handing and taking over of the lists is binding on both countries on January 1 every year in accordance with an agreement on prohibition of attacks against nuclear installations and facilities between the two countries signed on December 31, 1988.

The two countries have also set up a telephone hotline to prevent accidental nuclear conflict.

The lists have been exchanged consecutively since 1992.