India and Pakistan on Friday exchanged the lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen in their custody. This is a routine practice under the provisions of the 2008 Agreement on Consular Access. These lists are exchanged every year on January 1 and July 1.
The Indian side handed over lists of 309 Pakistani civilian prisoners and 95 fishermen who are in India’s custody to Pakistan. Pakistan shared lists of 49 civilian prisoners and 633 fishermen in its custody who are either Indians or believed to be Indians, according to a press release by the Union ministry of external affairs.
India earlier called for early release and repatriation of missing Indian defense personnel, civilian prisoners and fishermen along with their boats from Pakistani custody.
Pakistan was urged by the Indian government to expedite the repatriation of 536 Indian fishermen and 3 Indians who completed their sentence and whose nationality has been confirmed and conveyed to Pakistan.
Islamabad was also asked to provide immediate consular access to the remaining 105 fishermen and 20 civilians who are believed to be India and are under Pakistan’s custody.
The release said the government is committed to addressing all humanitarian matters pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other’s country among other issues.
The government asked Pakistan to take necessary action to confirm the nationality status of 57 Pakistani prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation is pending due to non-confirmation of nationality by Pakistan.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan was also urged to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civilian prisoners and fishermen.
According to a report by the Hindustan Times, close to 83 missing defense personnel, including prisoners of wars fought between both nations in 1965 and 1971, are languishing in Pakistani jails, the Union ministry of external affairs told the Supreme Court this year in April.
Out of the 83 there are at least 62 prisoners of war while the other 21 are believed to be in captivity in Pakistan.
The affidavit was filed in response to a plea by Kamla Bhattacharjee, mother of Captain Sanjit Bhattacharjee who along with another Indian army men went missing while patrolling along the Indo-Pak border in the Rann of Kutch, Gujarat.
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