July 2, Pakistan – As per the bilateral agreement regarding consular access, Pakistan and India exchanged prisoner lists via diplomatic means on Wednesday. According to the agreement signed on May 21, 2008, both nations must share such lists annually on January 1st and July 1st. "The Government of Pakistan submitted a list containing 250 Indian detainees held in Pakistan (comprising 52 civilians and 198 fishermen) to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. At the same time, the Government of India shared a list of 439 Pakistani individuals or those presumed to be Pakistani detained in Indian prisons, which included 386 civilian prisoners and 53 fishermen," stated the Foreign Office spokesperson in an official news release. Furthermore, the government of India was encouraged to free and send back 97 Pakistani prisoners (including 64 civilians and 33 fishermen) who have finished their terms and whose citizenship has been verified. It was also mentioned that India should guarantee the protection, safety, and welfare of all Pakistani nationals or suspected Pakistani citizens waiting for release and repatriation. The Government of Pakistan requested prompt consular visits for all suspects identified as Pakistani to help confirm their nationalities quickly. The spokesperson emphasized that the Government of Pakistan will keep working towards the swift return of all imprisoned Pakistanis.
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