New Delhi, Jan 1 (IANS) India on Thursday called for early release and repatriation of civil prisoners, fishermen along with their boats, and missing Indian defence personnel from Pakistan's custody.
As both countries exchanged - through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad - the lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen in each other's custody, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that Pakistan has been asked to expedite the release and repatriation of 167 Indian fishermen and civil prisoners, who have completed their sentence.
"India has shared lists with details of 391 civil prisoners and 33 fishermen in its custody, who are Pakistani or believed-to-be-Pakistani. Similarly, Pakistan has shared lists with details of 58 civil prisoners and 199 fishermen in its custody, who are Indian or believed-to-be-Indian," read a statement issued by the MEA.
"The Government of India has called for early release and repatriation of civil prisoners, fishermen along with their boats, and missing Indian defence personnel from Pakistan's custody. Pakistan has also been urged to expedite the release and repatriation of 167 Indian fishermen and civil prisoners, who have completed their sentence. In addition, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 35 civil prisoners and fishermen in Pakistan's custody, who are believed-to-be-Indian and have not been provided consular access so far," it added.
Under the provisions of the bilateral Agreement on Consular Access 2008, such lists are exchanged every year on January 1 and on July 1.
New Delhi asserted that it has asked the government of Pakistan to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be-Indian civil prisoners and fishermen, pending their release and repatriation to India.
"As a result of the sustained efforts by the Government of India, 2,661 Indian fishermen and 71 Indian civil prisoners have been repatriated from Pakistan since 2014. This includes 500 Indian fishermen and 13 Indian civilian prisoners who have been repatriated from Pakistan since 2023 till date," the MEA statement mentioned.
The two countries also exchanged on Thursday, through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad, the list of nuclear installations and facilities, covered under the agreement on the prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installation and Facilities between India and Pakistan.
"The Agreement, which was signed on 31 December 1988 and entered into force on 27 January 1991 provides, inter alia, that India and Pakistan inform each other of the nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the Agreement on the first January of every calendar year. This is the 35th consecutive exchange of such lists between the two countries, the first one having taken place on 1 January 1992," another MEA statement detailed.
--IANS
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