ISLAMABAD: Hundreds of Pakistani and Indian prisoners remain detained in their respective countries despite having completed their sentences.
This situation came to light during the biennial exchange of prisoner lists held on Wednesday through diplomatic channels.
The simultaneous exchange in Islamabad and New Delhi was carried out under the provisions of the 2008 Consular Access Agreement, which obliges both countries to share these lists every two years on January 1 and July 1.
According to the latest lists, 108 Pakistanis in Indian jails have served their sentences, while 183 Indians held in Pakistani jails have also served their sentences.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry urged India to release and repatriate 52 civilian prisoners and 56 fishermen whose sentences have been served and their nationalities confirmed.
Similarly, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has asked Pakistan to expedite the release and repatriation of 183 Indian prisoners who have completed their sentences.
According to the exchanged lists, Pakistan has a total of 266 Indian prisoners, including 49 civilian detainees and 217 fishermen. Meanwhile, India has reported holding 462 Pakistani prisoners, including 381 civilians and 81 fishermen.
The prisoner issue remains a sensitive humanitarian concern in tense bilateral relations. The Pakistan-India Judicial Committee on Prisoners, established in 2007 to address these issues, has been inactive since its last meeting in 2013 due to rising tensions and India’s suspension of comprehensive bilateral dialogue.
“India remains committed to addressing, on a priority basis, all humanitarian issues, including those related to prisoners and fishermen in each other’s country,” the MEA said.
The Indian government also urged Pakistan to provide consular access to 18 people believed to be Indian citizens currently detained in Pakistan without such access and to expedite the nationality verification process for 76 detainees believed to be Pakistanis, whose repatriation remains pending. .
Islamabad, for its part, reiterated its demand for consular access to 38 defense personnel who went missing during the 1965 and 1971 wars. It also asked New Delhi to ensure the safety and well-being of all Pakistani prisoners awaiting release. . and repatriation.
Nuclear lists
Pakistan and India also exchanged lists of their respective nuclear installations and facilities following a decades-old agreement aimed at preventing attacks on such sites.
This year’s annual exchange marked the 34th consecutive year of compliance with the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attacks on Nuclear Facilities and Facilities since it began on January 1, 1992.
The Agreement, signed on December 31, 1988 and in force since January 27, 1991, requires both countries to inform each other about nuclear facilities and facilities covered by their scope on the first day of each calendar year.
In Islamabad, a representative of the Indian High Commission received the list of Pakistan’s nuclear facilities from officials of the Ministry of External Affairs. At the same time, in New Delhi, a representative of the Pakistan High Commission received India’s list at the Ministry of External Affairs.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry emphasized the importance of the exchange, stating: “The exchange took place in accordance with the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attacks on Nuclear Facilities and Facilities between Pakistan and India.”
India’s Ministry of External Affairs also acknowledged the fact, highlighting that the exchange took place “through diplomatic channels, simultaneously in New Delhi and Islamabad.”
Despite ongoing political and military tensions, the uninterrupted annual exchange shows the persistence of mutual adherence to this confidence-building measure.
Published in Amanecer, January 2, 2025.
