Pakistan hands over list of 546 prisoners to Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale

Pakistan government on Saturday handed over the list of prisoners to Indian envoy on Saturday. The list includes at least 546 Indian nationals out of which nearly 500 are fishermen, who are languishing in Pakistani jails.

The list was handed over the Gautam Bambawale, Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad, under the Consular Access Agreement signed between the India and Pakistan on May 21, 2008.

The Indian prisoners included “52 civilians and 494 fishermen”, the foreign office said.

It said the “step is consistent with the provisions of the Consular Access Agreement”, under which both countries were required to exchange lists of prisoners in each other’s custody twice a year - on January 1 and July 1.

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The foreign office said the Indian government will also hand over a list of its prisoners in India to Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.

According to the list Islamabad shared with India on January 1 this year, there were 351 Indian prisoners held in Pakistan, including 54 civilians and 297 fishermen.

The foreign office said 219 Indian fishermen were released on January 6 this year and added that Pakistan would release another 77 fishermen and one civilian on July 10.

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(With PTI inputs)