NEW DELHI: Even before India and Pakistan can get down to more serious business later this month, they might have to resolve the curious case of 189 “missing” Pakistani prisoners in India.
India and Pakistan on Friday exchanged, through diplomatic channels simultaneously in New Delhi and Islamabad, the lists of nationals (including civil prisoners and fishermen) of each country lodged in the jails of the other country consistent with the provisions of the Agreement on Consular Access between India and Pakistan, MEA said in a statement.
The issue of prisoners, particularly fishermen, is a sensitive one for both the countries as a joint statement was issued post Modi-Sharif meeting last year in Ufa which called for release of fishermen in each other’s custody, along with their boats, within a period of 15 days.
MEA said that the two countries also exchanged the list of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear installations between India and Pakistan.
This is the twenty fifth consecutive exchange of such list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on 1 January 1992. (TOI)