India and Pakistan Exchange Lists of Prisoners and Nuclear Installations
New Delhi: On Wednesday, India and Pakistan exchanged lists detailing prisoners held by each country. India urged Pakistan to quickly release 183 Indian citizens who have completed their sentences and requested immediate consular access for 18 additional individuals.
In a statement, India’s Ministry of External Affairs noted that India provided the names of 381 Pakistani civilians and 81 fishermen in its custody. Conversely, Pakistan shared the names of 49 civilians and 217 fishermen believed to be Indian.
The practice of sharing lists of prisoners is conducted twice a year, on January 1 and July 1, as part of an agreement established in 2008 regarding consular access. India called on Pakistan to expedite the release and repatriation of the 183 Indian prisoners and fishermen who have served their time. The country also sought immediate consular access for the 18 other prisoners.
India further requested the early release and return of civilian prisoners and fishermen, along with their boats, as well as missing defense personnel currently in Pakistan’s custody. Additionally, authorities urged Pakistan to ensure the safety and well-being of all Indian nationals and suspected Indian nationals until their release.
India expressed its commitment to resolving humanitarian issues, especially concerning prisoners. The country asked Pakistan to speed up the nationality verification for 76 individuals believed to be Pakistani to finalize their repatriation.
Since 2014, a total of 2,639 Indian fishermen and 71 civilians have been returned from Pakistan, including 478 fishermen and 13 civilians just this year.
The two nations also exchanged lists of nuclear installations to avoid any potential attacks in case of conflict, following a tradition that started in 1992. This exchange occurred simultaneously through diplomatic channels in both New Delhi and Islamabad, in accordance with an agreement signed in 1988.
The exchange of nuclear facility details, which has occurred 34 times now, keeps both nations informed about installations that are covered by the agreement, although specifics remain confidential.
It’s important to note that relations between India and Pakistan have been tense, especially after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which were linked to a Pakistan-based group, and the 2019 Pulwama attack attributed to another Pakistan-based group. Efforts to revive dialogue have often faced setbacks due to ongoing security concerns.
In a noteworthy event last October, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar visited Pakistan, marking the first visit by an Indian foreign minister in nearly ten years during a meeting related to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
