India, Pakistan exchange lists of prisoners, fishermen

New Delhi, July 1: India and Pakistan exchanged lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen held in each other’s custody today, a press release from MEA said.

This exchange, conducted through diplomatic channels in New Delhi and Islamabad, is part of the bilateral Agreement on Consular Access 2008, which mandates such exchanges annually on January 1st and July 1st.

India provided a list of 366 civilian prisoners and 86 fishermen believed to be Pakistani, while Pakistan shared the names of 43 civilian prisoners and 211 fishermen believed to be Indian.

The Indian government has called for the prompt release and repatriation of these individuals, along with their boats, and missing Indian defence personnel from Pakistan’s custody.

Specifically, India has urged Pakistan to expedite the release and repatriation of 185 Indian fishermen and civilian prisoners who have completed their sentences.

Additionally, India has requested immediate consular access for 47 civilian prisoners and fishermen in Pakistan’s custody who are believed to be Indian but have not yet received consular access. India has emphasized the need for Pakistan to ensure the safety, security, and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be-Indian prisoners and fishermen until their release and repatriation.

An official press release said that India is committed to addressing all humanitarian matters, particularly those involving prisoners and fishermen in each other’s countries.

In this context, India has urged Pakistan to accelerate the nationality verification process for 75 believed-to-be Pakistani prisoners and fishermen in India’s custody, whose repatriation is pending due to lack of nationality confirmation from Pakistan.

Since 2014, sustained efforts by the Indian government have resulted in the repatriation of 2,639 Indian fishermen and 71 Indian civilian prisoners from Pakistan. This includes 478 Indian fishermen and 13 Indian civilian prisoners repatriated from Pakistan in 2023.